A Comb Duck

Object Details

Description

A comb duck.

Border: The painting is set in gold and black rulings in a border with purple flowers on a blue ground, mounted on paperboard.

Inscriptions

Mounting board, back: 148, written in pencil

Mounting board, back: Persian numeral 9 written in black ink

Leather frame backing, interior: pencil Vever 302 A-C, written in pencil

Leather frame backing, interior: B, written in pencil

Leather frame backing, interior: dessous, written in pencil

Leather frame backing, interior: X, crossed out, written in pencil

Leather frame backing, interior: dessus crossed out, written in pencil

Leather frame backing, interior: sticker Henri Vever printed in dark blue, no. 29 Oustad Mansour, written in pencil

Leather frame backing, interior: Paris Expositions Douanes (customs sticker)

Leather frame backing, interior: Gemeente Museum Exhibition in the Hague (Le Haye) in 1927 sticker

Leather frame backing, exterior: framed image of five wasps flying, gold emboss

Leather frame backing, exterior: Appay 24 Rue de la Paix Paris, gold emboss

Leather frame backing, exterior: sticker with scalloped edges, 156, crossed out, and 148, written in black ink

Leather frame backing, exterior: sticker with scalloped edges, 156, crossed out, and 148, written in black ink

Provenance

?-1912

Georges Demotte (1877-1923), method of acquisition unknown [1]

1912-1942

Henri Vever (1854-1942), purchased from Georges Demotte [2]

1942-1947

Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [3]

1947-1986

Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [4]

From 1986

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [5]

Notes:

[1] This work is likely one of three paintings of birds that Henri Vever purchased from Georges Demotte in September 1912. See Henri Vever Account Ledger, September 1912, FSA A1988.042.2, from Henri Vever Papers. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Vever notes he purchased the work at 23 rue de Provence and describes the group of paintings as "3 oiseaux indo-persans par Mançour." Georges Demotte was a collector and dealer of Islamic and medieval European art. He had galleries in Paris and New York City.

[2] See note 1. An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever (1854-1942) 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.

[3] 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.

[4] 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.

[5] 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.

Research updated on March 27, 2023.

Collection

Arthur M. Sackler Collection

Previous custodian or owner

Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947)

Henri Vever (1854-1942)

Georges Demotte (1877-1923)

Credit Line

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

late 18th century

Period

Mughal dynasty

Accession Number

S1986.410

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Painting

Medium

Opaque watercolor on paper mounted on paperboard

Dimensions

H x W (overall): 11.4 x 17.2 cm (4 1/2 x 6 3/4 in)

Origin

India

Related Online Resources

Google Cultural Institute

See more items in

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Topic

duck

Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858)

India

South Asian and Himalayan Art

Henri Vever collection

Record ID

fsg_S1986.410

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye3d0d1ce24-9164-4300-96b6-bc0035031b75