Emperor Babur

Object Details

• Court

  Mughal Court

• School/Tradition

  Mughal school

• Description

  Detached album folio; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script; recto: Babur Padishah; verso: calligraphic panel, three couplets.

  Border: The recto is set in gold rulings in a dark blue border with floral motifs mounted on gold-sprinkled paperboard; the verso is set in gold rulings in a dark blue border with floral motifs mounted on gold-sprinkled paperboard.

• Marks

  Verso: Baber, written in black ink

  Verso: Arabic, written in black ink

  Old matting, wooden backing: trimmed down, rectangular sticker from CH. HÉRIOT, 15, Rue du Delta – FABRIQUE DE

  CADRES ET ENCADREMENTS, PASSE-PARTOUT

  Old matting, wooden backing: on CH. HÉRIOT sticker, Vever, written in blue pencil

  Old matting, wooden backing: on CH. HÉRIOT sticker, Baber pnxx axx, written in pencil

  Old matting, wooden backing: on CH. HÉRIOT sticker, Akbar, Baber et Humayun, written in pencil

  Old matting, wooden backing: on octagonal sticker with blue border, Mr. Vever., written in black ink

  Old matting, wooden backing: on octagonal sticker with blue border, portraits Baber Akbar et Humayun written in pencil

  Old matting, wooden backing: on octagonal sticker with blue border, illegible letters written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: Princes Akhbar et Humaïouun written in black ink

  Old matting, recto: Akhbar et Humaioun written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: 75 V, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: H. Vever written in black ink

  Old matting, recto: pazx, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: le - illegible text, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: pencil markings obscured by red ink

  Old matting, recto: 328A, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: très bien

  Old matting, recto: no. 75, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: 2 pièces recto et verso, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: pnxx OR puxx + axx = ~

  Old matting, verso: Vever 328B, written in pencil

  Old matting, verso: Vever 328A, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: Prince Baber, written in black ink

  Old matting, recto: Baber pnxx OR puxx, written in pencil

  Old matting, recto: 62 pox, written in pencil and scratched out

  Old matting, recto: 3, written in black ink

  Old matting, recto: 3, written in black ink

• Inscriptions

  Bottom page, Babur Padishah.

• Provenance

  By 1903-1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  1942-1947

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [2]

  1947-1986

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [3]

  From 1986

  National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, purchased from Francois Mautin [4]

  NOTES

  [1] See Gaston Migeon et al, “Exposition des arts Musulmans: Catalogue descriptif" [exhibition catalogue] (Paris, Société française d’Imprimerie et de Librairie, 1903), no. 847. The publication cites Vever as the owner and describes the work as “Portraits au trait, crayon rehaussé d’or, des princes mongols; à droite, Baber; à gauche, Akbar et Humayoun.” An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever 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. This

  object was in Vever's collection at the time of his death in 1942.

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

  [3] 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 object is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 3.

  [4] 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. This work is part of the Museum’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection.

  Research updated February 2, 2024.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947)

  François Mautin (1907-2003)

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

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

• Type

  Album

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1900s, 1870s

• Name

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

• Place

  India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Art, Henri Vever collection, Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), Portraits, Kings and rulers, Halo

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Language

  Nasta?li-q script

• Object Type

  Albums