Beschreibung:

Manuscript fragment with ten illuminated miniatures, in Arabic, illuminated manuscript on paper [north-western India, mid-nineteenth century] 28 leaves (plus 2 endleaves), leaves bound at random and not following manuscript pagination, 10 large illuminated miniatures and one illuminated heading at beginning of text, ink and opaque watercolor heightened with gold, miniature leaves with additional gold, red and blue floral marginal decorations, otherwise clean and bright copy, 278 by 182mm. (miniatures c. 148 by 98mm.); bound in modern calf over pasteboards The miniatures here comprise: (1) A couple enjoy wine in a courtyard with female company; (2) Lovers dancing in a courtyard with ladies drinking wine; (3&4) Party on a pavilion, two facing leaves with festivities including wine, fruit bowls and a bathing pool; (5) A couple enjoy wine in a courtyard with female company and a fountain in the foreground; (6) Dancing and drinking wine in a courtyard with a fountain; (7&8) Party on a pavilion, two facing leaves with scenes of festivities including wine and fruit bowls; (9) A couple enjoy wine in a courtyard with female company; (10) Noblemen and women enjoy wine in a palace courtyard. ???This volume here, as well as the two which follow in the next two lots, present somewhat of a puzzle as the texts do not relate to the images present in either volume, and are written in Persian, Pashto and Arabic respectively, while the miniatures draw on Mughal and south Indian influences. They are perhaps examples of works created by artistic schools to practice the art of miniature painting or for the purpose of showcasing the workshop's ability to prospective patrons. Another similar Pashto manuscript, described as “A commentary on an Arabic logic text, to which the paintings are unrelated” was exhibited by the University of Chicago in Envisioning South Asia in 2016.