An angel dispensing justice to other winged figures and a div Oudh, Lucknow or Murshidabad, late 18th Century-19th Centurygouache and gold on paper, laid down on an album page with a light pink border and margins ruled in colours and gold; verso, a leaf from a manuscript of Persian poetry copied in fine nasta'liq script, Persia, 17th Century, Persian manuscript on paper, two columns of text written in black ink, heading written in red, intercolumnar and inner margins ruled in gold, red inner border, wide blue outer album page borders painting 233 x 150 mm.; manuscript leaf 122 x 55 mm.; album page 347 x 258 mm.Footnotes:ProvenanceSir Charles Forbes of Newe and Edinglassie, 1st Baronet (1774–1849): probably acquired during his time in Bombay, or by one of his family.In the collection at Castle Newe, Scotland, by the early/mid 19th Century, the Baronial seat of the Forbes, amongst an extensive collection of Indian art, antiques, weapons and armour.Sir John Stewart Forbes, 6th Baronet, (1901-1984), the vendor's great-great uncle, who sold the Forbes collection of Indian paintings at Sotheby's in the 1960s (date unknown).Mr J P Foster OBE, Emeritus Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey, the vendor's grandfather, who bought the painting back from the Sotheby's sale (and whose mother was Sir Charles Forbes, the 5th Baronet's daughter Evelyn Marjorie Forbes).Thence to the seller's mother, who presented the painting to him in 2010.John Forbes (1743-1821) known as 'Bombay Jock', made a fortune in India from trading, shipping, and banking with his firm Forbes & Company, Ltd., after serving in the East India Company for three years from the age of 21. In 1796, he returned to Britain and bought the estates of Newe. The company had, amongst other things, been appointed banker to the Government of Bombay. His nephew, Charles Forbes, the 1st Baronet, also went to India and joined the company, returning in 1810The subject of the painting is not clear: one possibility is the wisdom of King Solomon (Suleyman), who is often shown with attendant figures, sometimes winged, as well as divs (though the other beasts who normally surround him are absent here. Solomon himself is not usually winged, but on the other hand is usually bearded. Alternatively, in some respects it comprises elements of Shahnama illustrations of the court of Gayumarth, in which the first of the Persian kings sits elevated on a throne-like rock, dispensing wisdom, often with an assortment of human courtiers and divs or demons, as seen here (see for example a Mughal or Deccani depiction of the subject, dated circa 1600-10, Christie's, Islamic Art and Manuscripts, 14th October 2003, lot 148; subsequently with Francesca Galloway, Indian Miniatures, 2005, pp. 14-15, no. 5). However, the elevated figure in our painting has both wings, and is beardless and perhaps female; in addition, Gayumarth is usually shown seated on a tiger skin.The calligraphy on the reverse is from a manuscript of poetry with the unidentified text in mathnavi form. The passage relates to the reply of the beloved to the lover, with the heading in red reading, 'The reply from the lips of the beloved'.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: RR This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
