Katalog

47 A detailed comparison between the Dresden and the Baldini albums, which prob- ably were made side by side, provides an opportunity to look closely into the art of reproduction and the market for Indian miniature paintings among Europeans in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Although a full discussion is beyond the scope here several observations can be made while studying the two albums. The portraits in Ca 112 are grouped by dynasty. Within these groups are carefully ordered portraits of the dignitaries of each dynasty either facing each other or their ruler. For example, folio Ca 112/7 depicting Ikhlās Khān (d. 1656), the military commander who became the governor of a province on the border with Golconda during the reign of Muh. ammad ‘Ādil Shāh (r. 1627–1656) of the ‘Ādil Shāhi dynasty of Bijapur (1490– 1686) is shown facing Muh. ammad ‘Ādil Shāh. Another example is the depiction of Shāh Rājū (Ca 112/15), the pīr, or spiritual guide, of Sultān Abū’l Hasan (r. 1672–1687), the eighth sultān of the Qutb Shāhī dynasty of Golconda (1496–1687), who is shown facing Sultān Abū’l Hasan (Ca 112/16). This system of relating portraits is occasionally absent in the Baldini set. 14 One reason could be that the folios were mixed up during binding or that the binder did not recognize the figures portrayed. That could not have hap- pened with Ca 112, as all the portraits are inscribed with the names of the sitters. In the Baldini album, the depictions of Sultān Bahādur Shāh I (r. 1707–1712; folio 233–3v) and Bābur (r. 1526–1530; folio 233–4r) on facing pages are rather suspicious. Although the style of painting is similar to that of the other folios, the settings of these two portraits are more elaborate, with added elements such as carpets and cushions. Bābur, who is not depicted in Ca 112, is shown surrounded by manuscripts, and Bahā- dur Shāh I is relaxing in front of a fountain. At the turn of the seventeenth century, many artists left the imperial atelier where they had produced works according to the wishes of the emperor, and began to produce works, sometimes multiple copies, for the market and thus had more independence. For the latter, the main aim was to sell, and they did not confine themselves to the aesthetics of courtly art. With the aim of luring customers or fulfilling demand, folios could easily be altered, added to, or reduced, as may have been the case here. The physiognomic significance of the portraits in Baldini’s album was noted by the Bolognese Baroque painter Carlo Cignani (1628–1719) 15 and by Vallisnieri. In the inscription on the front cover of Smith-Lesouëf 233, Baldini stated, “Signore Carlo Cignani, having attentively considered the portraits of this book in the month of November 1716 said that almost all the heads could have been done by Titian or Tin- toretto.” Commenting further, Vallisnieri stated, “The complexions of the faces are fine, lively, and correctly drawn.” 16 While the faces are indeed finely rendered, those in the Dresden album were executed using a different technique, as can be seen by comparing the depictions of Mīrzā Nāsir in both albums (Ca 112/14 and fig. 6). Apart from the differences in brushstroke, the artist of the Dresden image characterized Mīrzā Nāsir as a thin man with lines of wisdom on his forehead, a prominent Adam’s apple, protrud- ing collar bones, and a turban almost superficially balanced on his head. The Baldini artist elaborated on his old age through the wrinkles around his eyes but kept the attributes to a minimum. The portraits in the Baldini album are executed using firmer lines than those in Dresden, and the rulers have haloes, which are often absent in the Dresden set. In the depiction of Neknām Khān 17 in the Dresden album (Ca 112/20), the artist tried his hand at hatching, which envelops Neknām Khān’s face and body. These differences establish the fact that there was more than one artist or even two different groups of artists in either same or different workshops involved in making these two similar sets of portraits. By putting an end to historical painting in 1668 and shifting the Mughal capital to Aurangabad in 1681, soon after conquering the Deccan sultanates of Bijapur and Gol- Fig. 2 Recueil de portraits de rois et de ministres des royaumes musulmans de l’Inde (Album of portraits of muslim kings and royle ministers of india) Golconda (Deccan), c. 1700 Album with 25 fols., 32×19×2 cm BnF, Paris, Département des Manuscrits Smith-Lesouëf Album 233 Cover, left Fig. 3 Endpaper, left BnF, Paris, Département des Manuscrits, Smith-Lesouëf Album 233/page de garde recto