Prince Bidar Bakht entertained at moonlight, Lucknow or Oudh, circa...

Prince Bidar Bakht entertained at moonlight, Lucknow or Oudh, circa 1788, opaque pigments on paper heightened with gold, the prince depicted seated casually on a silver throne, a female attendant with her arm draped around his shoulders offers him a cup of wine from a jewelled gold cup, an array of gold vessels at his feet, a band of musicians and entertainers are before him, seemingly too inebriated to continue playing, one sticks his tongue out, while two more seem to be chatting privately, two head coverings are cast off at their feet, a beautiful blue and white chintz fabric decorated with grape clusters covers the terrace on which they sit, the moon hovers low in the dusky sky, within a border of repeating flower heads, inscribed to reverse in Persian and in a 19th century English hand, "The Prince Bedar Bakht with musicians", 19 x 29cm.

Provenance: Private London collection