A portrait of a nobleman with a dog, attributable to a follower of Farrukh Beg, possibly Muhammad Ali, Mughal, early 17th century

gouache with gold on paper, mounted on an album page with borders of orange and blue decorated with gold foliate motifs of gold flecks

Sotheby's London, 22 November 1976, lot 21

Generally in good condition, slight thinning of background pigment in places, very minor losses to paint, minor creases to top left and bottom left-hand corners, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This is an important and rare painting close in style to the work of the well-known Perso-Mughal-Deccani artist Farrukh Beg, and is possibly by the artist Muhammad Ali, a close follower of Farrukh Beg who was active at the Mughal court in the early years of the seventeenth century and may have been in the Deccan at Bijapur before that.

The composition of a princely youth standing or seated in front of blossoming trees was a popular one in Persian and Mughal painting in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, but was especially favoured by Farrukh Beg and Muhammad Ali, who each produced several works of this type (see Beach 2011, figs.1, 2, 6, 11, 12; Skelton 2011, figs.1, 9, 10; Seyller 2011, figs.3, 4, 6, 7, 8), and the figure's intense gold embroidered coat set against a dark background is a specific trait that appears in several of these works (for example, Beach 2011, figs, 6, 15). The face of the figure here has distinctive, slightly puckered lips, which are seen on several of Muhammad Ali's works  (see Seyller 2011, figs.1, 3, 6, 8), and the wide, full chin we see here is a trait that Seyller comments on specifically, describing it as "distinctive enough that it eventually becomes a hallmark of Muhammad Ali's personal style". (Seyller 2011, p.281).

The rather elegant Saluki hound has an unusual, idiosyncratic quality, with sinuous curves, another trait of Muhammad Ali's work. The manner in which the profile head of the dog is painted is similar to various animals in several works of Farrukh Beg, including sheep and goats (see Skelton 2011, figs.4, 5, 8; Beach 2011, figs.10, 17), and there is even a strange affinity between the dog's face here and several human faces depicted in profile in Farrukh Beg's work, such as that of the figure of the attendant at upper right in Sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah II Playing the Tambur (Naprstek Museum, Prague, A.12182, see Skelton 2011, fig.6: Haidar 2011, fig.17; Beach 2011, fig.9; Zebrowski 1983, fig.70, pl.X), and the face of the main figure of Saraswati in Saraswati Plays on a Vina (City Palace Museum, Jaipur, see Haidar 2011, fig.13).

Robert Skelton has tentatively equated Muhammad Ali with Muhammad Ali Muzahhib of Shiraz, an illuminator-artist who returned to Persia in 1611-12, where several portraits were done of him (see Skelton 2009; Canby 1996, App.III/7, p.206, App.III/50, p.210; Robinson 1976, Pt.III, no.351, pl.81).

As well as the publications mentioned above, see also Skelton 1957, Canby 1998, no.102, Soudavar 1999.