gouache heightened with gold on paper, original borders cropped and laid on card

Monroe Wheeler (1899-1988), who travelled to India in 1954.
Anatole Pohorilenko (1943-2014), author, anthropologist, and companion of Monroe Wheeler 

Monroe Wheeler was a trustee and Director of Exhibitions and Publications at the Museum of Modern Ar🃏t (1940-67), member of the Grolier Club, and companion of the novelist Glenway Weཧscott from 1919-87.

In fair overall condition, some paint losses and rubbed areas, particularly to upper section and painting edges, colours vivid, 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."

Following the imprisonment of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb's succession to the throne there was a period of decline in artist output. During Aurangzeb's long reign (r.1658-1707) the focus was on religious piety and territorial expansion rather than courtly pleasures and the arts. As a result Mughal artists began to look to the provincial courts for employment. In the final decades of the seventeenth century "artists would have solicited commissions from the great nobles and princes who resided in Delhi, Agra or Lahore, intermittently composing individual portraits of the emperor, princes and noblemen" (Zebrowski 1983, p.209). This rare early portrait of Muhammad Shah would have been produced at this time. The painting displays strong Deccani influences indicating its possible place of production. During the last decades of his reign Aurangzeb relocated to the Deccan from northern India. "Considering the abrupt end of centralized royal patronage in 1686-87, it is surprising that so many marvellous paintings can be attributed to Deccani artists during nearly four decades of Mughal political domination which followed... Many royal artists found work with the Muslim or Hindu officers who served Aurangzeb in the Deccan" (ibid.). Zebrowski, in discussing three paintings that display both Mughal and Deccani traits, highlights characteristics that are visible in the current lot. Here, Mughal clarity, precision and restraint are combined with a strong Deccani palette, swarthy complexions and a spatially illogical dreamy landscape. Leading us to conclude that this portrait was either painted by Mughal-trained artist working in the Deccan or by a Deccani artist working in North India (ibid. p.218, no.190). It is also worth noting that the intricate ornament, elaborate arabesque carpet and lush fern-like palm fronds bear strong parallels with paintings from Kurnool (a town one hundred and seventy-five kilometers south of Hyderabad) during the first half of the eighteenth century (see portraits of Prince Ghulam Hazrat Akbar Khan Bahadur and courtiers, Musée Guimet, Paris and Mahmud Khan Dawudi and his son-in-law Abd al Razzaq Khan with courtiers, Rietburg Museum, Zurich, illus. Zebrowski 1983, nos.211-214).

Muhammad Shah (r.1719-48) went on to become an advocate of the arts reviving the Mughal painting tradition that had gone into decline over the last fifty years. A new atelier was created under his direction, which included artists such as Hunhar II, Chitarman, Govardhan II and Mir Kalan Khan. As well as the production of portraits of the ruler and his allies there was a renewed interest in the depiction of idyllic courtly scenes. Unfortunately this revival of the arts was to be short-lived following the sack of Delhi in 1739 by Nadir Shah. This resulted in the dispersal of artists to the provinces of Avadh and Bengal (see Losty and Roy 2012, pp.149-153 for a further discussion of this period).