Persian/indo-persian Miniature On Paper - Royal Audience, Text In Nastaliq - Late 18th Century

A beautiful Persian-Indo-Persian miniature painted in ink and pigments on paper depicting a royal audience. In the center, an enthroned sovereign, seated on a low seat and leaning against a richly decorated cushion, receives his courtiers. Two servants hold large fly swatters (flabella), symbols of prestige, while others, in the foreground, are busy around dishes and a mortar, illustrating the king's nurturing role. The architectural background, with stylized floral motifs and finely drawn arcading, frames the scene and reinforces the solemnity of the whole. The miniature is accompanied by two calligraphic bands in Persian (nastaliq script), at the top and bottom. These texts develop maxims on royal justice: the sovereign must feed the hungry, water the thirsty, and open the gates of justice, a condition of prosperity and peace for his people. The text is in perfect correspondence with the iconography represented, according to the tradition of the “mirrors of princes”. The work can be attributed to an Indo-Persian workshop of the late 18th or early 19th century (probably Lucknow, Hyderabad or Murshidabad), a period when court painting took up Persian models while integrating elements of late Mughal splendor. Late 18th – early 19th century. Miniature only: 9.5 × 18.5 cm. Framed (modern frame under glass): 30 × 20 cm. Good general condition. Well-preserved colors, clear writing. Very slight wear and foxing from use related to the age of the paper. Modern frame under glass, ready to hang.