- Museum number
- 1895,0915.1280
- Description
-
A Deccani Nobleman standing (Muhammad 'Adil Shah of Bijapur); after a Mughal miniature, whole-length, almost in profile to left, with moustache and slight beard, his left hand leaning on a sword, his right extended. c.1656-1661
Pen and brown ink with grey and brown wash and scraping-out on Asian paper prepared with pale brown wash.
Verso: laid down.
No watermark.
- Production date
- 1656-1661 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 196 millimetres
-
Width: 158 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
-
Entry from Martin Royalton-Kisch, 'Catalogue of drawings by Rembrandt and his school', 2010, Rembrandt, cat. no.59:
A copy after a Mughal miniature (see under cat. no.56; 1895,0915.1275, Benesch 1187). Like cat. no.58 (1910,0212.182, Benesch 1199), the figure has not been recognised and the miniature copied by Rembrandt has not been identified.[1] A slighter sketch after the head of the same figure is in a private collection in New York.[2]
NOTES:
[1] Of the miniatures at Schönbrunn, the nearest is the figure at the top right of the illustration in Strzygowski, 1923, pl.39, who has a similar shawl. That the Museum's drawing represents a Deccani was suggested by Ralph Pinder-Wilsen, c.1960 (notes in Museum files).
[2] Repr. Robinson, 1988, p.585, fig.4a, and Exh. London, 1992, p.147, fig.65a. For further details see under cat. no.56 (1895,0915.1275, Benesch 1187), n.10.
LITERATURE (always as Rembrandt):
Robinson, 1869/76, no.786/808 (ex-Robinson coll.); Kleinmann, IV, no.24; Sarre, 1904, p.154, repr. p.155, fig.10 (as cat. no.56 [1895,0915.1275, Benesch 1187]; costume study; the shawl over the shoulder seen in the 'Good Samaritan', Berlin, Benesch 556); Hofstede de Groot, 1906, no.928; Wurzbach, 1910, p.418 (Rembrandt?); London, 1915, no.77; Valentiner, II, 1934, no.648, repr.; Benesch, 1935, p.56; Benesch, V, 1957/73, no.1200, repr. fig.1426/1500 (c.1654-6). Bernhard, 1976, II, repr. p.507; Lunsingh Scheurleer, 1991, p.103, repr. fig.7 (notes similarity of the drawing in a private collection; Deccani courtier); Courtright, 1996, p.502, repr. fig.14.
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For a comprehensive overview of Rembrandt's copies after Mughal portraits, see S. Schrader, 'Rembrandt and the Inspiration of India' Exh cat. J. Paul Getty Museum, 2018. Schrader identifies the sitter as Muhammad 'Adil Shah of Bijapur. Another drawing of the same figure belongs to the group of Rembrandt drawings after Mughal portraits, this medallion portrait is in the San Francisco Fine Arts Museum (907 x 706 mm, inventory no. 2000.70). Schrader further identifies the Mughal prototype for both drawings, Portrait of Muhammad 'Adil Shah of Bijapu, c. 1685 (which copies earlier depictions) in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inventory no. RP-T-1995-25). See Schrader 2018, nos. 37, 38, and 39. William Robinson revisits the question of authorship of the Mughal drawings; he argues that they accord with Rembrandt's style in the late 1650s-early 1660s, and he disagrees with MRK's suggestion that they might be by Aert de Gelder. See 'A book of Indian Drawings, 25 in number' in Schrader 2018, pp. 43-59; and 'Rembrandt's 'Indian Drawings' and his Later Work' Annual Thaw Lecture, Morgan Drawing Institute, 2018.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
London, 1895, no.379a (from an Indian illuminated MS);
1899, no.A55;
1938, no.77 (c.1656);
1956, p.16, no.8;
1992, BM, Drawings by Rembrandt and his Circle, no.65, repr. in colour (c.1656-61);
2003-4, 'Treasures of the British Museum', Tokyo (Metropolitan Art Museum), Kobe (City Museum), Fukuoka (City Museum) and Niigata (Prefectural Mus of Fine Arts).
2018 13 Mar-24 Jun, Los Angeles, JP Getty Museum, Rembrandt and the Inspiration of India
- Condition
- Generally good; a few abrasions to the surface.
- Acquisition date
- 1895
- Acquisition notes
- Jonathan Richardson, sen. (L.2184; see cat. no.56; 1895,0915.1275, Benesch 1187); J.C.Robinson (L.1433, erased, lower right corner, visible under ultra-violet light); John Malcolm of Poltalloch (L.1489), purchased with his collection, 1895.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1895,0915.1280
