September 9, 2015: As part of London's India and Islamic Art Week, which runs from October 2 to 7, Sotheby’s presents the landmark single-owner sale, The Sven Gahlin Collection.
The collection comprises 157 lots, with an unparalleled group of finely painted Indian miniature painting at its core. Ranging from the 16th to the 19th centuries and encompassing the Mughal, Deccani and Rajput courts, as well as Company School painting from the period of the British Raj, these works are remarkable for their distinguished provenance and exhibition history. Many of the paintings are signed by or attributed to royal court artists, commissioned by the elite of the age, providing a glimpse into the refinement, power and privilege of courtly life.
The collector Sven Gahlin is renowned for his connoisseurship and began actively collecting in the 1960s. The majority of this outstanding collection has not been seen in the market for decades. The collection will go on show for the first time at Sotheby’s New Bond Street Galleries in London from October 2, ahead of the auction on October 6. Estimates range from £500 to £80,000.
