A Christian figure in a landscape, Mughal, circa 1595

gouache with gold on paper, reverse with numerous seventeenth-century Mughal seal impressions and librarians' notes, Mewari inventory numbers 221, 20/210 and Hindi clerical note dated 1111 AH (1699-1700)

The figure with a flaked spot to blue robe, some black ink marking near chest area, minor worm hole remnants particularly to lower section, top edge with tear, diagonal hairline crease, reverse with seals and stamps, some discoloration, 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 painting of a Christian figure is based on a European print, many of which arrived in India from the 1570s onwards through the activities of Jesuit missionaries, as well as Portuguese and other European traders, diplomats and travellers. An interesting aspect of the present example is that it appears to depict a figure from the northern European Protestant Reformation rather than a Catholic saint or a Biblical figure. The distinctive hat and thick fur coat are of a style associated with German, Swiss and English fashion of the sixteenth century. The closest matches for the facial characteristics, beard and sartorial style are Helius Eobanus Hessus (1488-1540), whose portrait was drawn by Durer in 1526 (British Museum SL,5218.21), of which printed versions were produced thereafter during the sixteenth century, and Heinrich (Henricus) Bullinger (1504-75), whose portrait appeared in prints of 1571, 1599 and 1602. The figure is shown holding a book, presumably a Bible or reformist text in the European original, but here depicted with an Islamic binding with a fore-edge flap in the manner of a Qur'an manuscript. Many of the European printed images of Protestant Reformers showed them holding a book in this manner.

Another early seventeenth-century image of the same European figure was sold in these rooms on 4 April 1978, lot 221. The face, beard and fur coat are almost identical, but that one had an inscription in Latin below, presumably copied by the Indian artist, reading "S Bernardus". In the 1978 catalogue this had been taken to indicate that it was an image of St. Bernard. However the three Christian saints of that name (Sts. Bernard of Clairvaux (d.1153), Bernard of Aosta (d.1081) and Bernardino of Siena (d.1444)) were all Catholic monks or priests and their portraits show them with very different faces from that of the present work. The presence of the word "Bernardus" on the 1978 Sotheby's drawing may be accounted for by a misunderstanding on the part of the Indian artist in reference to the name of the printer rather than the sitter, since at least one printed image of Bullinger was produced by a German named Bernhard (or Bernardus) Jobin.

The present work is painted in a style characteristic of the turn of the sixteenth to seventeenth century, and the earliest of the many Mughal librarians’ notes and seal impressions on the verso gives us a terminus quem of 1596 (see below). It is one of four works in this catalogue that have similar library notes and seals on their versos and all seem to have been transferred to the Mewar collection in the late seventeenth century (see lots 1, 10 and 12). Three other works from the same group have been sold in these rooms in the past (23 April 1996, lot 5; 8 October 2008, lot 44; and 20 April 2016, lot 49) and most are painted in a related style with slightly thin pigments. The inscriptions and seal impressions on the reverse contain the following information:

It was given the grading 'avval' (‘first [class]').

The earliest librarian’s note is dated in regnal year 40 of Akbar's reign (1596).

There is a Jahangir period seal of Afzal Khan dated 1033 AH (1623-4 AD).

In the Shah Jahan period it belonged to a certain Sharif al-Mulk and entered the royal library, where it was entrusted to the care of Muhammad Sharif in regnal year 4 (1631).
Inspected in regnal year 18 (1645) when it was entrusted to Shams.
Inspected in regnal year 24 (1651).
Inspected in regnal year 29 (1655), when it was transferred to the custody of La’l Chilah(?) from that of Shams.
Seal impression of Inayat Khan.

In the Alamgir period it was inspected in 1069 AH (1659).
Seal impression of Azizullah (still using Shah Jahani epithet).
Seal impression of Sayyid ‘Ali al-Husayni dated 1075 AH (1664-65 AD).

Mewari inventory numbers 221, 20/210 and a clerical note dated 1111 (1699-1700).

For the importance of Mughal Library inspection notes and valuations, see John Seyller 1997, pp. 243-349. For information about Mewari inventory inscriptions see Topsfield 1995.