Description:

BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR CALLIGRAPHY PANEL, 19TH CENTURY
Delhi, India, 19th century

Description:
Ink and pigments on paper; a strikingly composed calligraphic panel attributed to Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor of India. Executed in fine nastaliq script with rich blue, red, and gold border decoration, the central panel displays diagonal verses, surrounded by linear marginal text and a cartouche above featuring intricate micrography and ornamental motifs. The reverse bears a label from the historic S. J. Telléry & Co., a renowned colonial-era art dealer with branches in Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, and Simla.

The piece presents devotional and poetic content, and its fine rendering alongside the attribution to Zafar — himself a notable Urdu poet and calligrapher — situates this work at the confluence of imperial refinement and spiritual introspection.

Provenance:

  • Private USA Collection

  • Previously exhibited by S. J. Telléry & Co., Simla, Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay (label on verso)

Comparable examples:

  • Calligraphic panel attributed to Bahadur Shah Zafar, ink on paper, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 23 April 2012, Lot 102, for £8,125.

  • Mughal calligraphic panel, signed by royal hand, Christie’s South Kensington, 6 October 2014, Lot 211, realised £9,375.

  • Panel attributed to a Mughal royal atelier (Bahadur Shah II), Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 31 March 2021, Lot 24, sold for £7,500.

Note:
Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775–1862) was not only a ruler but also a poet, mystic, and connoisseur of the arts. During his reign, the Mughal court saw a brief but vibrant cultural revival. Calligraphic works attributed to him are rare and treasured for their historical poignancy and refined aesthetic quality. The association with S. J. Telléry & Co. further underscores the object's significance in colonial-era collecting practices.

 

Length x Width: 33.5 x 22.5cm

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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