From a deceased estate, the unsigned 11 x 20in (27.5 x 51cm) pen and ink, gouache and watercolour, drew interest from the Indian subcontinent but was eventually knocked down to a private London buyer for a sale-topping £1900.
The well-preserved painting, pictured above, shows the waterfront of the river Ganges in the city of Varanasi in the Uttar Pradesh region of northern India, with Aurangzeb’s mosque dominating the skyline.
Known as the Alamgir Mosque (meaning ‘Conqueror of the World’), it was built by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb when he captured Benaras in the 17th century.
It still functions as a mosque today despite standing in Varanasi, regarded as one of the holiest Hindu cities in India.
The “very deft brushwork” and the depiction of a known location complete with Sanskrit inscriptions helped account for the price, said auctioneer Peter Rixon.
