Exhibited: The Palace Museum, Beijing 2018, pp.472-73, no.179.

Note: This elegantly dressed Mughal courtier is depicted feeding a small bird to a goshawk. Falconry, with its association to royal status, was a popular sport in Mughal courtly circles, in particular under Emperor Jahangir. Many Mughal paintings depict courtiers or noblemen holding a bird of prey including a comparable painting in the Musée Guimet, Paris (Okada, 1989, no.49, pp.34, 174-5).

The painting is mounted with borders originating from the remarkable ‘Late Shah Jahan Album,’ notable for their lavish decoration with human figures, birds, animals and flowers. The framework lattice design of this border is among the rarest; only six others of this type have been recorded (Wright, 2008, nos. 55-56 pp.115-117, nos. 55-56, 68B, pp.116-117, 405, app. 3E, p.465). For another drawing mounted with borders from this album, see lot 182 in this sale.