19TH CENTURY, THE UPPER THREE TIERS ADDED IN POPLAR, MODERN

Details

AN INDIAN TEAK MODEL OF THE QUTB MINAR
19TH CENTURY, THE UPPER THREE TIERS ADDED IN POPLAR, MODERN
Together with 19th century photograph of the tower, marked and numbered Saché 133.B, mounted framed and glazed
98 ¾ in. (251 cm.) high

Provenance

The Manor House at Clifton Hampden, the Collection of Christopher Gibbs; Christies, 25-26 September 2000, lot 137, where acquired.

Special Notice

This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.

Brought to you by

Adrian Hume-Sayer

ahume-sayer@christies.com +44 (0) 20 7389 2696

Lot Essay

The Qutb Minar was built in 1193-1230 in Delhi for Qutb-ud-din-Aibak, the first Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, to mark the victory of Islam over the infidel. According to the carvings that decorate the tower, it was erected 'to cast the shadow of God over both east and west'. When sold from the collection of the renowned arbiter of taste Christopher Gibbs, this model of the red sandstone tower stood as it did prior to the rebuilding of the upper stories by Firoz Shah, 1288-93 (see in situ illustration). Echoing this historical addition, the late owner of this model commissioned the upper stories to complete the model to reflect the tower as it was when painted by Mildred Archer. Her painting showed the cupola, as it is here, which was added by Col. Robert Smith in 1828 but was subsequently destroyed during earthquake in 1848 (see Company Painting - India Painting of the British Period,, V & A India Art Series, 1992, p. 147).

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