Add Or 5475

MAZHAR ‘ALI KHAN (fl. 1840s), and studio

‘Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as other contemporary material, with an accompanying manuscript text written by Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe (1795-1853), the Governor-General’s Agent at the imperial court. The text gives a vivid description of Delhi and its monuments. 125 of the paintings are either by, or attributable to the studio of, Mazhar ‘Ali Khan, the principal topographic artist in Delhi in the 1840s. They are mounted on to the abum pages, and surrounded by Metcalfe’s text. The album also contains a folding panorama in 12 (originally 13) sections; five pencil drawings and vignettes by David Thompson, son of the Revd. J.T. Thompson, a clergyman in Delhi; and various Persian calligraphies, including one autograph by the Emperor Bahadur Shah II. It was compiled from 1842-1844 for the benefit of Metcalfe’s daughters, then in England, and was suitably inscribed and sent to them in that year. It returned to Delhi with his elder daughter Emily, then aged 17, in 1848, or with her sister a little later, and was inscribed and given to her on her marriage to Edward Clive Bayley in 1850. Subsequent additions at the end relate to other members of Sir Thomas Metcalfe’s family.

Album 26 by 20.5 cm, bound in dark brown morocco. Stamped in gold on front cover: ‘Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi.’ Folio size: 25 by 19 cm.

125 paintings signed by Mazhar ‘Ali Khan or in his style, mostly with Persian identifications, laid down with painted borders on to the album pages, with accompanying historical and descriptive text about the buildings composed and written by Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe. Painting size except where noted 8 by 13 cm.

Provenance: Emily Clive Bayley, by descent; Constance Clive Bayley; gift to her great-nephew John Mildmay Ricketts; Christie’s 4 July 1985, lot 156; private collection; Christie’s 19 November 2002, lot 39. Acquired with the assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund and of the National Art-Collections Fund.

Note: A similar set of paintings attributable to the studio of Mazhar ‘Ali Khan is in the V & A at IM 19 to 60-1923 (Archer, ‘Company Paintings’, pp. 145-9).

The album contains the following inscriptions, not noticed separately below:

Add.Or.5475, f.1

‘Emily Annie Theophila Bayley, her Father’s Gift.’

‘Compiled in 1844 by Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe 4th Bart. for the information and education of his three daughters – and this valued book in 1851 became ultimately the property of E.A.T. Bayley as being the eldest Daughter being brought out to her in India by her sister …??’

‘It is treasured by her, as a most precious memento of her beloved father and of her beautiful and happy home where her first years in India were spent 1848-1853.’

‘Janry 20th 1848 Arrived at Delhi. EATB.’

‘March 6th 1850 Married at Delhi’

‘Novr. 3rd 1853 Her beloved Father’s death.’

‘March 1854 The last visit to her home.’

‘May 12th 1857 Her house and property were destroyed by the mutineers & rebels’

‘June to Septr. 1857 ….??’

‘1864 House only partially restored’

‘1877 All the property (landed) excluding the … ? was sold for £5000, equally divided…’

Add.Or.5475, f.2

‘For my dear girls from their affectionate father. Dehlee 25th Nov 1844. The last I shall see of my dear child Charley. Reminiscences of Imperial Dehlie.’ [TTM]

Add.Or.5475, ff.88v-89

Copy of a letter written 24 May 1857 by Sir Theophilus John Metcalfe (1828-83), son and heir to Sir Thomas T. Metcalfe, and Magistrate in Delhi, to C.B. Thornhill, Secretary to Government at Agra , announcing his arrival in Karnal after escaping from Delhi, and his desire to return there with the forces.