A PORTRAIT OF THE EMPEROR MUHAMMAD SHAH WITH HIS COURTIERS, LUCKNOW OR MURSHIDABAD, MID-18TH CENTURY A PORTRAIT OF THE EMPEROR MUHAMMAD SHAH WITH HIS COURTIERS, LUCKNOW OR MURSHIDABAD,MID-18TH CENTURY gouache with ink and gold on paper, the Mughal emperor seated on a gilt throne under a canopy flanked by six courtiers, each inscribed and labelled in nastaliq script 35 x 27cm (folio) Provenance: The George Pratts Collection, Sydney, Australia The figures are identified as Fakruddin Khan, Indar-Ul-Mulk, Nizam Ul Mulk, Burhan-Ul-Mulk, Chandu Khan, Roshan-ud-Daulah. Muhammad Shah ruled over the rapidly diminishing Mughal empire between 1719- 1748. He was an enthusiastic patron of the arts, but this along with invasions and rebellions contributed to the decline of his financial resources.

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