Two ladies carry flowers

Object Details

• Calligrapher

  Mir Ali Haravi

• Description

  Detached album folio; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script; recto: Two ladies carry flowers; verso: calligraphic panel; two couplets, signed by Ali.

  Border: The recto is set in gold rulings surrounded by a black floral scroll on cream-colored paper; the verso is set in gold and black rulings with a green floral and leaf scroll, and a narrow band of red and gold on cream-colored paper.

• Marks

  Old Matting: N ͦ 65 – ptsx Dec 32, written in pencil

  Old Matting: H. Vever, underlined and written in pencil

  Old Matting: 1207, written in pencil

  Old Matting: Vever 319 A, B, written in pencil

  Old Matting: 65 written in pencil

  Old Matting: 65 written in pencil

• Inscriptions

  Reverse: The poor sinful Ali

• Provenance

  ?-1932

  Indjoudjian Frères, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  1932

  Sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot “Objets d’art du Proche-Orient des grandes époques … provenant de la collection de Indjoudjian" December 19, 1932, lot 65 [2]

  1932-1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), purchased at the Indjoudjian Sale [3]

  1942-1947

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [4]

  1947-1986

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [5]

  From 1986

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [6]

  Notes:

  [1] See note 2. Indjoudjian Frères was an antiquities dealership based in Paris and New York, owned by the Armenian-born brothers Agop (1871-1951) and Meguerditch (1884-1927).

  [2] See Hôtel Drouot “Objets d’art du Proche-Orient des grandes époques … provenant de la collection de Indjoudjian" [auction catalogue] (Paris: December 19, 1932), lot 65. The work is described as « Deux Princesses richement habillées tenant des vases en porcelaine remplis de narcisses. Enluminure indo-persane du XVII

  siècle."

  [3] An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever (1854-1942) amassed a large and impressive collection of works of art during his lifetime. His holdings in Japanese prints and Islamic arts of the books, especially from Iran and India, were among the most important assembled in the early twentieth century. Vever purchased this work at purchased at the Indjoudjian Sale on December 19, 1932, see annotations on the work’s old matting.

  [4] Upon Henri Vever’s death on September 25, 1942, his wife, Jeanne Louise Monthiers inherited the work. See exhibits F and G of Agreement of Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection, January 9, 1986, copy in object file.

  [5] Upon the death of Jeanne Louise Monthiers, as stipulated in the will of Henri Vever, the family’s assets were divided evenly between his two grandchildren. His only grandson, Francois Mautin inherited the collection known as “The Henri Vever Collection of Oriental Art and Manuscripts Including Persian and Indian Art and Manuscripts.” This work is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 4.

  [6] The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased the entirety of the collection from Francois Mautin on January 9, 1986. See purchase agreement, copy in object file.

  Research updated August 14, 2023.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Indjoudjian Freres

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947)

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1800s, 1900s

• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Indjoudjian Freres, Monthiers, Jeanne Louise, Vever, Henri

• Place

  India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Art, Henri Vever collection, Flowers, Woman

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Paintings