gouache heightened with gold on paper, 2 lines of nasta'liq script in black to lower and upper right corners, ruled in colours and gold, the reverse with 36 lines of text in nasta'liq script in black and red, laid down on an album page with borders from the Farang-i-Jahangiri of Jamal al-Din Husain Inju of 1608, decorated in gold with animals and birds amidst flowering plants

John Frederick Lewis, Jr., Philadelphia (1899-1968)

John Frederick Lewis, Jr., was a lawyer and philanthropist whose family were leading figures in the cultural life of Philadelphia. In 66 years his accomplishments and service to the City of Philadelphia left an enduring impact. Board Memberships included the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (President 1944-58), the Academy of Music, The Free Library of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, Board of Libraries, the University Museum, the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Zoological Society, Fairmount Park Art Association and many others. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in February 1924, married Ada H. Haeseler on 30 June, 1925 and with her had three children.

He loved collecting quality objects and attended🧸 many auctions - over fifty Parke Bernet catalogues with careful notes were kept, which were a great res🦩ource in the research and cataloguing of this distinguished group of objects. Ranging from jades, porcelains, bronzes, books, and illuminated manuscripts the depth of his curiosity, interest and passion in the arts of Asia were evident in his collection.

In good overall condition, colours vivid, loss to lower left corner of illustration, outer margins with occasional worm holes, gold bright, minor abrasions to leaf edges, horizontal crease mark to margins in upper section, 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 illustration is from a well-known dispersed manuscript of the Baburnama, the autobiographical account written by the first Mughal emperor Babur. The scene depicted in the present painting is that of Babur attempting to defend the city of Akhsi in Farghana (modern day Uzbekistan) which took place between 7 July 1502 and 26 June 1503. The two lines of Persian in nasta'liq script on the painting reflect the illustrated scene in Babur's own words, translated as follows:

"I got up quickly and shot one arrow off. My squire, Kahil (lazy) had a weakly pony; he got off and led it to me." (translated by A.S. Beveridge, Babur-nama, New Delhi, 1979, p.174).

The manuscript from which this illustration comes was executed for the emperor Akbar (Babur's grandson) around 1590, when his capital was located at Lahore. Akbar had requested that Babur's memoirs be translated from their original Turki into Persian by Abd ur-Rahim, his khan-I khanan. Abu'l Fazl in 1589 recorded the moment the translated manuscript was presented "On this day Khan-I khanan produced before the august Presence the Memoirs of Firdaus Makani [the Dweller in Paradise, i.e. Babur] which he had rendered in🌠to Persian out of the Turki and received great praise." (Stronge 2002, p.88).

Nineteen of the illustrations are in the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, hence the manuscript is sometimes referred to as the 'South Kensington Baburnama'. Other leaves are in the British Museum, London, the Chester Beatty Library, Du♔blin, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and various private collectio🏅ns. Leaves have been sold in these rooms 26 April 1991, lot 64, 20 March 1997, lot 10, 25 March 1999, lot 201 and 23 March 2000, lot 192, 8 June 2000, lot 4.

Like the other 'South Kensington Baburnama' leaves the current lot possesses the distinctive muted palette and delicate nasta'liq script.

Leaves from other royal Mughal manuscripts are found remounted with borders from the Farang-i Jahangiri, notably the Chester Beatty Akbarnama (see Leach 1995, vol 1, pp.294; Colnaghi 1976, no.86i, ii and iii). Other leaves sold through these rooms 7 December 1971, lots 187a and 188, 4 May 1♔977, lot 341 and in our rooms in New York, 19 May 1982, lots 66 and 68, and 25 March 1987, lots 183-6.