Ibrahim Adham worshipped by angels

Lucknow, circa 1780
Opaque watercolour with gold on paper, laid down in a gold-splashed ivory ground album page with gold and black rules; a panel of nasta’liq in gilt cloud bands with gold-sprinkled blue border on the reverse

9 2/3 by 6 ½ in.; 24.5 by 16.5 cm. painting
14 ¾ by 10 in.; 37.5 by 25.5 cm. folio

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Provenance

Maggs Brothers, London, 1921
Aaron Vecht and Mary Vecht-Stodel, Amsterdam, 1930s-60s

J. Vecht, Amsterdam, and by descent to 2018

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Published
Maggs Brothers, Illuminated Manuscripts and Miniatures: European and Oriental cat. no. 404, no. 216a pl. LXXXVIII, London, 1921

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The long-haired nimbate ‘Abraham son of Adam’ is dressed in green robes kneeling on a verdant mound surrounded by trees, supported on his fakir’s crutch and holding a rosary.  Four angels in courtly dress approach him to bring food in gold dishes. Two further angels appear in the clouds above.  The scene is set in a landscape with a bird-filled lake in the foreground.

 

Ibrahim Adham was an eighth century King of Balkh who sought God but, after several spiritual visitations, he surrendered his kingship to became a wandering dervish.  He is one of the most celebrated Indian sufis and achieved semi-mythical status.