A European maiden in a flowery field, Deccan, probably Golconda, second half 17th century

gouache with gold on paper, mounted on an album page with borders of pale pink and cream paper, seal impression in lower right corner of "Suhrab Khan khanazad Pad Shah Alamgir", verso with medallion portrait of a nobleman, late 17th century

Formerly in the collection of Sir Harrison Oulsnam (1898-1972).
(Sir Harrison Oulsnam, C.S.I., C.I.E., M.C., was Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Health. He was knighted in 1948).
Sotheby's London, 27 March 1973, lot 28.

The maiden in good condition with strong colours, the face with minor flaking and associated consolidation, including overpainting, the blue sky with darker patches of discoloration, the borders of the painting to reverse showing slightly through, set in borders and larger borders, the portrait to reverse in good condition, clear, borders slightly rubbed, 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 elegant portrait of an alluring maiden is painted in a style associated with Golconda circa 1660-80. The style of the flowers in the foreground is quite distinctive and can also be seen on a portrait of an African courtier (see Zebrowski 1983, pl.XX, p.164, Haidar and Sardar 2015, cat.129, pp.236-7), and a portrait of Sultan Hasan of circa 1675 (Zebrowski 1983, pl.no.156, p.191, Haidar and Sardar 2015, cat.141, p.245). A similar strong blue background can be seen on a portrait of Sayyid Shah Kallimullah Husayni, of circa 1670-80, in the David Collection, which also has foreground flowers similar to the present work (68/1979, see von Folsach 2001, cat.67). In terms of the figure, a Golconda portrait of circa 1670-80 shows a young woman wearing a diaphanous robe with a leaf-like fringe around the décolletage similar to the present example (Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, see Leach 1995, vol.II, no.9.677, p.949), and the figure of a female assistant in a scene of a princess on a terrace is similar in many respects to the present figure, including the headdress (see Sotheby's, London, 10 July 1973, lot 39). Female figures wearing very similar hats and robes with leaf-like fringed décolletage are found in a late seventeenth-century drawing by Rahim Deccani (Chester Beatty Library, 66.1, see Leach 1995, vol.II, no.9.681, p.952, Haidar and Sardar 2015, cat.143, p.249) and on a well-known lacquered box of the same date attributed to Rahim Deccani (Victoria and Albert Museum, 851-1889, see Zebrowski 1983, no.169, pp.202-203).

The seal impression of Suhrab Khan, an official of ‘Alamgir, also appears on lot 15 in this sale, indicating that both were in the ownership of a Mughal courtier during the reign of Alamgir, possibly one who had served in the Deccan campaigns, an interesting fact in itself.