NORTH INDIA, PROBABLY EARLY 20TH CENTURY

In style these paintings relate to others of Mecca done by Indian artists. One of these was sold in these Rooms, 10 April 2014, lot 239. Another painting though larger and on paper, was sold in these Rooms, 20 October 2016, lot 180. A related painting though on a much larger and grander scale is now in the Khalili Collection (J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Treasures from the Nasser D. Khalili Collection, Abu Dhabi, 2007, no.298, pp.260-61). When he visited Mecca in 1853, Richard Burton wrote that a number of Indian artists there supported themselves by "drawing pictures of the holy shrines in pen and ink" (Richard Burton, Personal Narrative of a pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah, London, 1893, p.341 quoted in Stephen Vernoit, Occidentalism, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, London, 1997, p.33). These miniatures are probably of the type of work done by these artists. Another very similar pair of medallions sold in these Rooms, 10 April 2014, lot 240.