PALA SILVER-INLAID BRONZE FIGURE OF THE BODHISATTVA VAJRASATTVA
Bengal or Bihar, c. twelfth century A.D.
Height: 6.4cm (fitted bronze stand)
Seated in rajlalitasana on a disc base, his right hand holding an upright vajra, his left holding the stem of a padma flowering at his shoulder and supporting a ghanta, his eyes, speckled dhoti, necklaces and urna silverinlaid, a three-leaved crown in front of his domed chignon.
PROVENANCE
Shirley Day, London, 1995
J. Kasmin Collection, London, 1995-2026
The Buddhist Pala dynasty ruled a large part of northeast India, including Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, from the eighth to the twelfth century. It is considered one of the “golden eras” of Bengali history, an effective army and navy, astute diplomats and military conquerors creating peace and prosperity. This led to outstanding architecture, as witnessed by the many Pala temples constructed and the superb works of art created to furnish them. Its conquest by the Hindu Sena dynasty in the second half of the twelfth century marked the end of the last Buddhist imperial power in India.
Pala bronzes are rare and this small but superb example shows all the signs of Pala craftsmanship at its best. The accurate modelling of the human body, the intensity of the distinctively Pala face, the naturalistic treatment of the lotus flowering at the right shoulder, the beaded jewellery, disc earrings, three-leaf crown, domed chignon and, not least, the selective inlaying with silver are all hallmarks of the highest level of production.
For related Pala bronzes, see J. Van Alphen, Cast for Eternity: Bronze Masterworks from India and the Himalayas in Belgian and Dutch Collections, Antwerp, 2005, pp.80-86; J.C. Huntington, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree: the Art of Pala India, Washington D.C., 1991, pl.49 and U. von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, pl.68D.
KASHMIR BRONZE SEATED FIGURE OF THE BODHISATTVA PADMAPANI
India, c. 800 A.D.
Height: 8.7cm
Seated on a rocky mound with a kneeling devotee in relief,his left foot supported by a lotus in relief, his right hand (missing) raised, his left on his hip, wearing a short dhoti with pleated sashes draped over his thighs, his upper torso nude except for a pendant, wearing large foliate armlets, earrings and an elaborate three-leaf crown in front of his domed chignon, tresses of hair resting on his shoulders, flat and unmodelled behind apart from the hair
PROVENANCE
Private collection, U.K.
Jeremy Knowles, London, 2008
J. Kasmin Collection, London, 2008-26
The stance of this image gives it away as an image of Padmapani, the missing right hand would normally be touching the shoulder and a small hole in his left hand and another at the shoulder confirm the original presence of a lotus held by the stem and flowering at the shoulder. For a seated figure of Padmapani, dating from the seventh-eighth century, in the Rockefeller Collection, New York, see P. Pal, Bronzes of Kashmir, Graz, 1975, pp.134-5, no.45.
The image is powerfully modelled for its size and is in the early style of Kashmir bronze sculpture. It is distinctive for its throne in the form of geometricised rocks. Another Kashmir bronze figure, of Vajrasattva, dating from the eighth century, formerly in the Pan-Asian Collection, New York, has a related throne, described by Dr. Pratypaditya Pal as “tiers of jagged and contorted rock formations” (op. cit., p. 162, no.59).
KASMIN SAYS “…a particularly fine casting, a rich a good example…”
Portrait of the celebrated court musician Tansen (circa 1493-1589)
Mughal India, circa 1590
Opaque colours with gold on paper, laid down in an ivory-ground cropped album page decorated with gilt floral motifs, ink inscriptions in German on the verso; with a small associated label, in ink on wasli paper, inscribed with the name of Tansen in Devanagari and nastal’iq
6 3/5 by 3 in.; 16.7 by 7.8 cm. painting
9 2/3 by 6 1/3 in.; 24.6 by 16.1 cm. folio
INSCRIPTIONS
The associated paper fragment is inscribed in Devanagari and in nastal’iq:
‘Mian Tan Sen’
More than four late sixteenth century Mughal portraits of Tansen are known (see below) and in each the physiognomy of Tansen is distinct. The current, newly discovered, portrait confirms to this and leaves little or no doubt as to its identity, the associated inscription apart. As in the other portraits he is depicted standing on a green ground, in profile, his dark-skinned face with solemn expression, slender moustache and cleft chin. He wears the typical striped cotton Akbar-period flat turban secured with a gold brocade band, a gold ring in his left ear. He wears a diaphanous fine muslin jama on his upper body with an odhni over his chest, arms and shoulder whilst his lower body is enclosed in a voluminous paijama with diaphanous over-skirt and gold brocade patka. He wears a pair of gold shoes, two strings of pearls and holds a pearl rosary in his right hand behind which is a katar dagger.
Tansen of Gwalior
Tansen Kalawant was born into a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family in Gwalior. His first patron is thought to have been the Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior after which, as an adult, he became court musician to Raja Ramchandra Singh Beghel (r.1555-92) of Rewa. His early influences were drawn from both the Muslim Sufi and Hindu traditions but the poet and court musician to Raja Man Singh Tomar, Swami Haridas, is thought to have been his main teacher.
Tansen was an accomplished composer, musician and vocalist and thus his fame spread.
In the Akbarnama, Abul Fazl records that when the emperor heard of the talent of Tansen, who was then sixty, he was brought to the court in 1562 and became a favourite of the emperor. Akbar gave him the title of Mian, an honorific meaning learned man, and he also made him one of the Navaratnas, his nine main ministers or literally ‘nine jewels’. Emperor Jahangir was also enthralled by the voice of Tansen and records in his memoires that “there has been no singer like him in any time or age”.
Kangra, Pahari Hills, circa 1780
Opaque pigments with gold on paper, black and white rules with blue border
10 1/3 by 7 4/5 in.; 27 by 20 cm. painting
11 2/5 by 8 2/3 in.; 29 by 22 cm. folio
PROVENANCE
Anthony Powell (1935-2021), the Oscar-winning costume designer, London: Rosebery’s, London, 14 June 2022, lot 313
In the darkness, at midnight, luminous Krishna is born inside a prison cell. In the artist’s interpretation this is in fact a white marble pavilion, the upper chamber with a white-ground floral carpet and a rolled brocade blind. Below two sleeping guards flank the doorway, a red sandstone interior within. The figures of Krishna’s parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, are attired in court dress and jewellery.
At the wedding of his parents, a voice foretells that their eighth son, Krishna, will cause the demise of his uncle, Kamsa, the prince of Mathura. Kamsa incarcerates the newlyweds with the intention of killing their children, and makes himself king.
In the painting, Krishna’s parents are awe-struck by his blue-skinned, four-armed form at birth which resembles Vishnu; they stand on either side of him with their hands folded in adoration. Krishna is in fact an incarnation of Vishnu and carries his attributes – conch shell, discus, mace, and lotus – when he is born. With the folded curtain above and devotees on either side, Krishna resembles an icon prepared for darshan. Notice the shackles near the feet of Krishna’s parents that do not restrain them anymore, and the guards on either side of the prison entrance who have fallen asleep; all impediments to Krishna’s escape are removed and his father will whisk him away to safety. Krishna will return to Mathura as a youth vanquish Kamsa.
Maharana Ari Singh II in procession at the Dassehra Festival
Mewar, Rajasthan, dated 1761
Opaque watercolour on paper, black rules with red border
23 1/4 by 18 3/8 in., 59 by 47 cm painting
25 1/5 by 19 2/3 in.; 63.8 by 50 cm folio
In a fine and extraordinarily ambitious work, the master artist Jiva has created a tripartite painting to depict, simultaneously, three separate ceremonial events in the life of Ari Singh II. Known for his skill in creating highly imaginative visual solutions to, for example, such quotidian subjects as a tiger-hunt, the bird’s eye view he takes in “Maharana Jagat Singh II shooting tiger by the lake”, dated 1749, in the San Diego Museum of Art, (Topsfield (2002), p.192, no.172), is indeed novel and creates a mesmerising effect. Here too the profusion of figures, animals and activities created to convey the narrative is visually arresting.
The lower half of the painting observes the conventions of the Mewar processional style: the Rana riding predominant with his retinues, standard-bearers proceeding in front of him. The redtented enclosure at upper right depicts the ceremonial worship of the khejari tree (seen just beyond the enclosure) by the Rana, who is seated with his chief nobles, known as the Khejari Puja. The tree, prosopis cineraria, is culturally important in Rajasthan. On the left, in the Chaugan (the former royal polo ground), diminutive multitudes surround elephant fights while others sacrifice buffalo as part of the Dassehra festivities.
Topsfield (2002, p.200, no.181) writes of this painting: “A dramatically crowded, composite subject by the long established artist Jiva in 1761 shows Ari Singh parading in procession, while the annual Dassehra celebrations at the Chaugan and the Khejari Puja are compressed into the crowded background.”
THE SUBJECT
Maharana Ari Singh (r.1761-73) ascended the Mewar throne upon the death of his nephew, Raj Singh (r.1754-61). He was not a popular ruler, alienating the sardars and earning a reputation for oppressiveness. However, painting flourished during his reign though mainly prior to 1767 when political disruption eventually led to his assassination, by a Bundi prince, while out hunting.
THE ARTIST JIVA
One of the most accomplished eighteenth century artists at the Mewar court, he painted many large-scale works, often evocative hunting scenes or complex compositions celebrating weddings or festivals. His handling of light and space and treatment of landscape is remarkable. Jiva’s work dates to as early as 1749 under Jagat Singh II (r.1734-51) and continued during the brief reigns of Raj Singh II (r.1754-61) and then Ari Singh II (r.1761-73).
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES
For other works by Jiva, see:
(i) Maharana Jagat Singh hunting tiger, by Jiva, 1749 San Diego Museum of Art, Binney Collection, California, see Diamond & Khera, pp.58-9, no.6
(ii) Maharana Jagat Singh in a palace garden, circa 1750, by Jiva and Jugarsi. Formerly in the collection of Sir Howard Hodgkin, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, see Topsfield, 2012, p.236, no.101
(iii) Maharana Ari Singh shooting a tiger, attributed to Jiva, 176162, formerly in the collection of the British Rail Pension Fund, see Losty, p.28,no.13
(iv) Maharana Ari Singh bear-hunting, by Jiva, 1763, formerly in the Ehrenfeld Collection, sold Christie’s, New York, 23 March 2023, lot 412
(v) Maharana Ari Singh of Mewar Hunting, by Jiva, 1764: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Va.: https://www.vmfa. museum/artworks/maharana-ari-singh-of-mewar-huntingbeneath-the-kumbhalgarh-fort-75262
(vi) Maharana Ari Singh II enjoying Jagmandir, attributed to Jiva and others, circa 1767: City Palace Museum, Udaipur, see Diamond & Khera, pp.108, 114-119
(vii) A portrait of Ari Singh and Rupaji riding elephants, by Jiva, 1767: Felton Bequest at the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, see Topsfield 1980, p.125, no.180
(viii) A portrait of Ari Singh with his consort, circa 1761, formerly in the Benkaim Collection, now in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2018.147
Opaque pigments with gold on paper
6 by 3 1/3 in.; 15.5 by 8.5 cm
The portrait is immediately recognisable as the young Jahangir and, as it lacks a halo, must have been intended to depict him when he was still Prince Salim, prior to his ascent of the gaddi in 1605. He was thirty-six years of age when he became emperor and the treatment of the face certainly suggests a man no older than this and possibly rather younger.
As he gazes intensely into the distance, his face bears the drooping moustache, double-curl sideburn, quizzical eyebrow and half beard common to the early portraits of the emperor. He stands in a terracotta landscape of hills lightly painted with f lowers and, behind him, clumps of grass, with whisps of cloud and a retreating flock of birds in the evening sky beyond. In the foreground foliage of silver paint has oxidised. He wears fine muslin jama tied under his right arm with five lappets over a pair of orange paijama. His right hand is held forward in a welcoming gesture, his left holds the basket hilt of a straight sword, the guard with horse-head finial. His shoes, floral patka and brocade turban are embellished in gold, the former with a dagger tucked into it, the latter with plume and two pendant cords. He wears three necklaces, two of pearl and gems, the third bearing a pendant, as well as pearl bracelets, finger-rings and earrings.
SUBJECT
The reign of Jahangir (r.1605-27), the fourth Mughal emperor, was marked by consolidation of his empire and some of the greatest achievements in art and architecture. Like his father Akbar, he was a connoisseur with a strong intellectual curiosity, and this inspired the creation of superb palaces, mosques and tombs. At court he patronised some of the greatest painters, such as Mansur whose superb portraits of birds, animals and flowers remain unequalled. He also commissioned numerous portraits of himself by masters such as Bichitir and Govardhan.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES
Other early standing portraits of Jahangir:
(i) Emperor Jahangir, attributed to Manohar, circa 1600-10, Brooklyn Museum of Art: Already with the familiar facial physiognomy of his middle years, though without a halo, see Poster, pp.81-83. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/ objects/115594
(ii) Sultan Salim with bow and arrow, probably from the Salim Album, circa 1603, Freer-Sackler Gallery, Washington D.C.: Here, nimbate and wearing a flat orange turban, drooping moustache and single-curl sideburn, he has already taken on the familiar physiognomy and gravitas that mark portraits throughout his reign, see Beach, p.102-3, no.19b.
(iii) Emperor Jahangir, circa 1610, Victoria & Albert Museum, London: Almost a mirror image of this portrait, his right hand held forward, his left holding an elaborate sword. Both portraits have the distinctive half beard and double curl on https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O433966/the-emperorjahangir-painting/
(iv) Two further portraits, circa 1611, from a Divan of Hafiz in the British Library, London: Jahangir playing polo and out hawking, see Losty & Roy, pp.106-7, figs.58 & 59.
(v) Akbar presenting a falcon to Prince Salim, 1600-25; portrait of Safi Khan, dated 1618-19, Goenka Collection, Mumbai In the first, Salim is shown in an Akbari style image; the second has many features in common with our portrait. See Goswamy & Bhatia, pp.53 & 61, nos.40 & 48.
(vi) Jahangir as a young man, circa 1620, British Library, London Here he appears fresh-faced, beardless and with the double curl sideburn, though without a nimbus, see Losty no.40.
INSCRIPTIONS
shabih-i jahangir badshah
‘Likeness of Emperor Jahangir’
Opaque pigment with gold on paper, a faded Persian inscription in the foreground commencing ‘amal’i, laid down in a cropped album page with gold arcs of foliage on a rust ground, with goldsplashed margins ruled in gold and black 4²⁄3 by 3⁴⁄5 in.; 11.8 by 9.7 cm. painting 12²⁄3 by 8 in.;32.1 by 20.6 cm. folio
This splendid bird stands on a plain ground, the upper body with touches of orange contrasting with speckled feathers covering the wings and lower body. The tragopan has long been considered a rare species in India and was one of the birds painted by one of the greatest of all Indian artists, Mansur.
We are grateful to the ornithologist Katrina von Grouw for the following note on the tragopan.
This is the darkest of the five tragopan species, with orange only on the head, nape and upper breast, but it is arguably the most strikingly handsome. The orange is intense, and the white spots against the dark background of the body and wings stand out, creating a strong visual effect in this fine portrait.
The bare skin of the throat, too, is brightly coloured, though only when unfurled and inflated with air during courtship displays. It transforms into a decorative pendulous ‘bib’ with a vertical stripe of deep indigo in the centre, on a serrated leaf shape of pale blue, set off against a background of vivid pink. This is when the bird’s ‘horns’ are revealed, two erect finger-like spikes of pale blue skin on top of the head, reminiscent of the Greek god Pan. It is allegedly these which have given the tragopans their name by adding the prefix: tragos meaning ‘goat’ in Greek to the word Pan.
Tragopans belong to the phasianidae – the pheasant family – but are more closely related to the partridges, monals, and grouse than they are to true pheasants. However, they are unusual for nesting high in trees and not on the ground. Western Tragopans are birds of the temperate forests of the western Himalayan foothills and are known from only a few scattered localities in India and Pakistan. They are the rarest of the tragopans and one of the rarest pheasants in the world, with a global population estimated at fewer than five thousand. They rely on undisturbed areas with dense understorey on forested mountain slopes and are, consequently, very difficult to observe in the wild. Dedicated conservation efforts are attempting to halt the decline of these enigmatic birds.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES
The male tragopan appears with the dodo in a painting, circa 1625, in the Institute for Eastern Studies, Saint Petersburg. Lady Impey also commissioned Shaykh Zayn al-Din to paint the satyr tragopan in 1777, see Falk & Hayter, and another, by Ram Das, from the collection of Anthony Hobson, was sold at Christie’s, 10 June 2015, lot 61.
A third painting from the Impey album, of a male satyr tragopan, also by Ram Das, was sold at Christie’s, London, 10 June 2015, lot 51. An early seventeenth century Mughal painting of two pheasants, one of which is in fact a tragopan, is in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., see: https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/ edanmdm:fsg_S1986.411/
Opaque pigments with gold on paper, with white, black and gold rules and a rectangular inset of floral paper above and below, the uppermost with Persian inscription in black ink; laid down in a reduced album page with gilt foliage on a buff ground, verso lined, with a split Kalebdjian label 7¹⁄3 by 5¹⁄5 in.; 18.7 by 13.2 cm. painting 11 by 6²⁄3 in.; 28 by 16.8 cm. folio
The unique subject of this painting, which passed through the Paris collections of Pozzi and more recently the artist Le Tan, continues to fascinate. In a beautifully rendered landscape, with hills, mountains and a distant village below an evening sky, two Others include: (ii) Portrait of Shah Shuja (1616-61), attributed to Manohar, circa 1620, in the Art and History Collection, on loan to the National Museum of Asian Art, Washington D.C. Second son of Shah Jahan and much beloved of Jahangir, his grandfather, the boy wears a similar gold chain of protective amulets, see Robinson & Falk, p.212, no.111. (iii) Mughal drawing of a baby prince, circa 1670, in the British Library, London, (Falk & Archer, p.120 & 425, no.189,xlix) also wears this type of amulet chain, similarly strung from the left shoulder across the body. (iv) Mughal portrait of a child prince, 1600-25, in a private infant boys vie for the attentions of a Persian long-haired piebald cat. Their guardian, perhaps a Sufi, a white-bearded elderly man in a grey robe and white turban sitting at the door of a woven grass hut, tries in vain to distract them with a red rattle held in his left hand. In the foreground are a startlingly white nilgai ewe and her young calf.
The two boys, possibly brothers or twins, seem to be in a tussle over the cat. The shaven-headed figure on the left, wearing a skullcap, grasps the cat by tail and hind leg with some determination. The stout frizzy-haired boy on the right avoids his gaze and stares out at us, calmly stroking the cat and fondling it under the chin – it is plainly his cat. Each of the infants is dressed in a fine diaphanous white muslin tunic, the boy on the left wearing gold drop-earrings, bracelets, anklets and a hexagonal pendant. The boy on the right wears large pearl-drop earrings, bracelets and a cord girdle across his body strung with square and hexagonal gold talisman boxes, paired tiger-claws and a tawiz pendant.
The painting of children, other than those young princes included in formal gatherings or darbars, is rare in Mughal painting, an exception being those of the Virgin and Child. This painting, in depicting an informal scene of two infant boys squabbling over a pet cat, is most unusual. They are plainly high-born children, betrayed by their well-fed appearance, their gold jewellery, the f inest muslin jamas and the fact that they are being painted in the f irst place. However, their identity remains a matter of speculation.
CHILD PORTRAITS IN MUGHAL ART
(i) One of the most famous Mughal images of a child is the portrait of Shah Jahan enthroned with the five year-old Prince Dara Shikoh, by Nanha, circa 1620, in the Kevorkian Album at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, see Welch et al, pp.194-5, no.55. collection, see Pal, p.133, no.M.16.
Others include:
(ii) Portrait of Shah Shuja (1616-61), attributed to Manohar, circa 1620, in the Art and History Collection, on loan to the National Museum of Asian Art, Washington D.C. Second son of Shah Jahan and much beloved of Jahangir, his grandfather, the boy wears a similar gold chain of protective amulets, see Robinson & Falk, p.212, no.111.
(iii) Mughal drawing of a baby prince, circa 1670, in the British Library, London, (Falk & Archer, p.120 & 425, no.189,xlix) also wears this type of amulet chain, similarly strung from the left shoulder across the body.
(iv) Mughal portrait of a child prince, 1600-25, in a private collection, see Pal, p.133, no.M.16.
(v) A rare portrait of Akbar with his two young sons, circa 1575, was sold at Rosebery’s, London, 14 June 2022, lot 159.
INSCRIPTIONS
Upper right margin with a fragment of Persian verse of a mystical philosophical nature, perhaps a catchword on the margin of a manuscript that has been incorporated into the border sifatash ra zi suratast niqab
‘The description of Him has a veil by way of form’
Signed Mirza Baba (fl.1789-1810)
Probably Astarabad
Persia, dated A.H.1208 / 1793-94 A.D.
Oil on canvas, signed at lower left in nasta’liq
32 ¼ by 30 ¾ in.; 82 by 78 cm
The Qajars were an aristocratic family that emerged in the sixteenth century as head of the Turkoman Qajar tribe of the Qizilbash confederacy. Mohammad Khan Qajar (r.1789-97) brought about the unification of Persia and became the founding prince of the dynasty, which ruled from 1789-1925.
The portrait depicts a young and beautiful courtesan, seated on a banquette in a palace interior with a window and a tasselled bolster behind her. She is wearing heavily-embroidered floral trousers, a short pleated skirt around the waist and a diaphanous jacket of fine muslin, a striped shawl flung over her right shoulder. Her rouged face confronts the viewer and “reflect(s) the late Zand/early Qajar ideal of beauty” (Diba & Ekhtiar, p.207), with dark eyes, rosebud mouth, heavy eye-brows and henna’d navel. She wears pearl and gem earrings, a striped scarf tied in her dark hair, a rose at her neck. In her henna’d hands she holds a glass of wine and a flask, a porcelain bowl of greengages and cherries to her right, a swagged green curtain behind her to the left. The back of the banquette has a woven geometric design. Many Qajar portraits and still lifes have the pointed shape of this canvas, a form familiar from Safavid and Qajar architecture, see Fellinger & Guillaume, pp. 34, 54 & 368-9 and Guadalupi, pp.57, 61, 65 & 69. Such paintings were made to decorate interiors where they were set into the walls in specially designed niches.
THE ARTIST
The two most outstanding portrait painters of the Qajar period are Mirza Baba (fl.1789-1810), who was active in the early years of the dynasty, and Mihr ‘Ali, who was active later in the reign of Fath ‘Ali Shah. Mirza Baba appears to have been trained by the master painter of the Zand period (1751-89), Muhammad Sadiq (Shiraz, fl.174090), before being adopted by the new Qajar court. Falk, pp.25-32, cites various early works and points to his skill in treating fruit, omnipresent in Qajar painting, in a realistic textured manner, something that can be observed in the present portrait. Under Fath ‘Ali Shah (r.1797-1834) Mirza Baba flourished and was made naqqash-bashi, or chief painter to the court, producing one of the most magnificent and unsettling portraits of the young Shah, dated 1799, only one year after his accession, in the India Office Collections at the British Library, London (Falk, pp.32-3, no.12). A later work attributed to him, Two Harem Girls, circa 1811-14, in the Royal Asiatic Society, London, relates to this portrait in terms of subject. However, at this point his style has developed into the brighter more emphatic palette of the middle of the reign and it lacks the subtle appeal of the present portrait.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES
The work that best compares to this is Mirza Baba’s A Tipsy Lady, dated A.H.1215 / 1800-01 A.D., formerly in the Aryeh Collection, New York, see Diba & Ekhtiar, p.159, no.28. In this portrait, painted six or seven years after ours, the subject is also a court lady, seated in a similarly luxurious setting, holding a glass of wine and an apple.
INSCRIPTIONS
raqam-i kamtarin mirza baba sana 1208
“Work of the most humble Mirza Baba, year [A.H.] 1208” [1793-94 A.D.]
Highlights: October 12 – November 6, 2026 (By appnt only) Exhibition: November 9–13, 2026 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm)
We are delighted to announce the release of our newest catalogue accompanying Kasmin: Eye of a Connoisseur, an exhibition celebrating the antiquities collection of the legendary and influential art dealer John Kasmin.
Spanning ancient objects from Britain to China, alongside a collection of Islamic ceramics, the exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse into Kasmin’s distinctive aesthetic sensibility, boundless curiosity, and delight in the objects he lives with and collects. As Cathy Courtney observes in the catalogue’s introduction, Kasmin is guided not by the desire to assemble a complete collection, but by the “visual and tactile excitement” of objects that bring him joy in everyday life.
Explore the online catalogue here for an in-depth look at these remarkable works. Highlights are available to view by appointment from now through November 6, ahead of the exhibition, on view November 9–13, Monday through Friday, 10am–6pm.
We look forward to welcoming you!
NEWS
Sale of Arms and Armour from the Collection of the Marquess of Dalhousie Acquired in Punjab in 1849
We are pleased to announce the recent placement of a remarkable collection of nineteenth-century Sikh arms, armour, and battle standards with a private collector. Originally assembled by James Broun-Ramsay, Marquess of Dalhousie and Governor-General of India from 1847–56, the collection is distinguished by its exceptional provenance and historical significance.
The treasures included in this landmark sale feature three remarkable steel shields belonging directly to the iconic Sikh princes who fought to preserve their ancestral lands: Raja Hira Singh (1816–1844), Raja Dhyan Singh (1796–1843), and Sardar Lehna Singh Majithia (d. 1854). The collection also includes eight beautifully painted wood spears with steel heads and tips. Lord Dalhousie’s personal records explicitly identify these weapons as those used by Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s legendary all-female elite guard unit, often referred to as the “Army of Amazons.” Rounding out the acquisition are three highly important silk brocade battle standards dating from circa 1830 to 1845. Dalhousie meticulously documented that these flags were taken directly from the Lahore Treasury (toshkhana) after the Sikh armies surrendered at Rawalpindi following their defeat at the Battle of Gujrat, north of Lahore.
Acquired in the aftermath of the Sikh Empire’s defeat in 1849, the objects offer a rare and tangible connection to the final years of independent Punjab. Remarkably, each retains its original Victorian vellum inventory label, identifying its historic Sikh owner and corresponding to Dalhousie’s original records.
From L-R on Wall: Four painted gilt-wood spears with steel heads and terminals, India, circa 1820-45; Three Sikh silk brocade battle standards, India, circa 1820-45. From Top to Bottom on Table: Gold-damascened steel helmet with calligraphic nose-guard, India, circa 1820-45; Gold-damascened steel shield of Raja Dhyan Singh, India, circa 1820-45; Gold-damascened steel shield of Sardar Lehna Singh, India, circa 1820-45; Gold-damascened steel shield of Raja Hira Singh, India, circa 1820-45; Gold-damascened steel sword and leather-bound scabbard with silver mounts, India, circa 1820-45
The collection’s own journey is as remarkable as its history. Assembled through military auctions in Lahore between 1849 and 1851, the objects were brought to Scotland when Dalhousie left India in 1856 and remained at the family estate, Colstoun, for generations. They later appeared at Sotheby’s in 1990 before entering a German private collection, where they remained for more than three decades. Remarkably, each object retains its original Victorian vellum inventory label, identifying its historic Sikh owner and corresponding to Dalhousie’s original records.
This landmark August 2026 placement marks a new chapter for these extraordinary artifacts, ensuring that their exceptional craftsmanship, provenance, and complex history will continue to be preserved and appreciated for generations to come.
Our Collection
We are pleased to present our collection of fine works from the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas and South-East Asia, covering pieces from the Buddhist and Hindu dynasties to the Mughals, with a special emphasis on Indian and Islamic miniature painting and manuscripts.
To view these pieces and more in our online catalogs, click here.
About the Gallery
We are a London and New York based firm of independent art dealers, founded in 1998.
The principals are Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch, former directors of the Antiquities and Islamic and Indian Art departments at Sotheby’s, London. Our professional expertise encompasses Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Islamic art. We also specialize in the art of the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas and South-East Asia, covering works from the Buddhist and Hindu dynasties to the Mughals, with a special emphasis on Indian and Islamic miniature painting and manuscripts.
Working with collectors, museums and galleries around the world, we act as agents for both vendors and purchasers, and advise on the best method of selling works of art, whether by private sale or at auction. Our many years’ experience of the acquisition process, and longstanding relationships with curators and collectors, helps us to ensure every transaction runs efficiently.
