Christie’s revealed that the auction of art from the Islamic and Indian worlds will include oriental rugs and carpets, and will be organized directly at the house’s headquarters in King Street, London, on April 27.
Christie’s said in a statement that the auction “offers amazing samples of manuscripts, paintings, ceramics, metalwork, and carpets dating back to the period between the ninth and 19th centuries AD.”
Topping the exhibits are a collection of jewel-encrusted Mughal treasures that highlight the grandeur of the Indian court. In addition to two masterpieces, one of which is a plate with vibrant paintings, which embodies the luxury of the royal court, and represents the pinnacle of Timurid artistic production, and a Qajar oil painting by the famous artist Muhammad Baqir. The auction also includes a collection of Persian and Indian paintings and manuscripts from private collections, as well as some models of Iznik pottery.
The auction sheds light on the importance of early oriental carpet works, which were depicted in western paintings of the Renaissance and European art masters. Among the most important pieces is a rare Anatolian rug called “Phoenix in Octagon” from a private collection, and it is one of the few examples still extant from the Western world. The exhibition includes a unique collection of Persian manuscripts and paintings belonging to a number of personal private collections. Among the most prominent exhibits is a Timurid painting entitled “Baysongur in the Attire of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba,” Timur Herat, from the first half of the 15th century.
The auction offers a painting of the best works of the artist Muhammad Baqer, who was one of the most famous artists active in the period between 1740 and 1800. The “Lady Reclining” painting bears the signature of Muhammad Baqer.
The auction also offers some examples of Ottoman ceramics, as well as a number of models of Iznik pottery, and a small group of ceramics from Kütahya, the site of a pottery kiln that became famous and gained popularity after the decline of Iznik pottery.
Sarah Plumbly, Head of the Islamic and Indian Art Department at Christie’s, said: “The auction includes a unique collection of artworks from across the Islamic and Indian worlds, especially private collections that cover a variety of fields; From Persian and Indian manuscripts and paintings to Ottoman ceramics. “We are excited to present an important group of collectibles inlaid with Mughal jewels, as well as a number of Persian paintings,” she added. The auction also features 96 antique and intricately decorated oriental rugs and rugs, woven in cities, villages or Bedouin encampments along the Silk Road.
