A seated portrait of Nawab Sipahdar Khan, son of Nawab Khan Jahan Bahadur, India, Rajasthan, Kishangarh, mid-18th century

A leading Mughal artist, Bhavanidas moved to the Rajput court of Kishangarh around 1719. His son, Dalchand, another important Mughal artist, moved to Jodhpur around 1724 and joined his father at Kishangarh around 1728. Their relocation made a significant impact on the painting tradition at Kishangarh and on the next generation of artists there in the eighteenth century.

The devanagari inscription on the reverse of the painting suggests that Nawab Sipahdar Khan was the son of Khan Jahan Bahadur, the most senior general in Aurangzeb’s imperial army. He was noted for vanquishing the independent Maratha leader Shivaji, thereby facilitating the Mughal conquest of the Deccan. He was awarded the titles Khan Jahan Bahadur Zafar Khan in 1674. His full name, Khan Jahan Bahadur Zafar Khan Kokaltash, indicated that he was a foster-brother of Aurangzeb, who held him in great esteem and affection. A drawing of Khan Jahan Bahadur seated with his father, by the Mughal artist Hunhar, was offered at Sotheby’s London, 8 October 2014, lot 205. A fine equestrian portrait of Khan Jahan Bahadur, signed by Hunhar and dated to circa 1690, is in the British Library (Johnson Album 18,12, Losty and Roy 2012, fig.99, pp.156-8).