Sir John Soane's Museum
Concise catalogue of drawings

French School
Le Livre des Cordonniers de Caen, in
French, including a life of Saints Crispin and
Crispinian, end of the 15th C
Bound in vellum, with marbled paper
applied to the boards (293 x 297)
Millar, MS 3, pp 110-11; Ker, 3, p. 292

French School
Book of Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary, written for
use in the diocese of Tours, end of the 15th C
Bound in red velour embroidered in gold
thread (149 x 100)
Millar, MS 5, pp 111-15; Ker, 5, p. 291
Prov: From the library of the 1st Duke of
Marlborough (1650-1722) for whom it was
bound

Italian School
Book of Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary, used in
Rome, written in Florence, end of the 15th C
Bound in crimson satin with richly embossed
corners of silver gilt; the centre plates and
clasps are specimens of niello work (130 x
90)
Millar, MS 6, pp 115-16; Ker, 6, p. 291

Italian School
Giulio Clovio (1498-1578)
Volume containing illuminations on the
Commentary on the Epistle of St Paul to the
Romans by Cardinal Marino Grimani, 1530s
ff. 142. MS pages remounted
Bound in green velvet (425 x 330)
Illuminations on ff. 1; 2, verso; 7, verso; 8
f.1 Left-hand border, including figure of
Fate with spindle, illuminated figure `I’ and
landscape panorama attributed to Pieter
Breugel the Elder by Charles de Tolnay
(Burlington Magazine, June 1978, p. 393)
Millar, MS 11, pp 116-128; see also ed. Jonathan J.G.
Alexander The Painted Page : Italian Renaissance Book
Illumination 1450-1550, London 1994, Catalogue No.133

Two volumes of Indian and Persian miniatures
and calligraphy, catalogued by
Toby Falk, 1982

Lord Berwick's Album
An album of Indian and Persian miniatures
and calligraphy from the library of Lord
Berwick, with his bookplate, purchased by
Soane for 5 guineas at the sale of Lord
Berwick's effects at Attingham Hall, Shropshire,
on Tuesday 7th August 1827. According to
Soane's notebook he attended the sale in
person, accompanied by Mr Hall and Mr
Watson who apparently did the bidding.
Judging from the contents, some of which
is of Deccani origin, and from the style of
painting used for extensions made to some of
the miniatures at the time of mounting, it
would appear that the album was assembled
in the Deccan about the middle of the
eighteenth century. Many of the leaves have
inner borders of patterned fabric, again
probably of Deccani origin.
The foliation starts at the European end of
the volume. Hence it is on folio 30, the
oriental beginning, that we find the seal of an
oriental owner Ghulam Husain Khan, with a
Persian note recording that he bought the
album, then consisting of 32 leaves, on 17
Safar 1176/7th September 1762. Unless he
miscounted we must assume that he included
the end-papers in his tally, or that two leaves
have since gone missing. In a note pasted
into the back of the album an early European
scholar has read this purchase date as AH
1174. The same scholar has written English
identifications on the cover-papers or
beneath the miniatures. These are often
translations of the Persian identifications
written at the top of the page.
The album is bound in eighteenth-century
Indian blind-stamped red morocco, and has
a brown leather box.
30 folios
400 x 170 mm
India (Deccan?), mid-18th century
f.l Six lines of Persian verse written on blue
paper in nasta'liq calligraphy, signed by
Sayyid `Ali Khan
f.1b A lady seated in a low chair playing a
tambura
148 x 84 mm. Provincial Mughal, first half of
eighteenth century
f.2 A girl seated on a tree stump playing a
tambura
138 x 75 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.2b Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy
f.3 Eight lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy
f.3b Portrait of a standing girl
110 x 73 mm. Mughal, style of Muhammad
Reza-i Hindi, c.1760
f.4 A lady kneeling on a terrace with bottle
and cup
f.4b Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy
f.5 Six lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy
f.5b A girl walking beneath a stormy sky
holding a back-scratcher
128 x 59 mm. Deccan, first half of eighteenth
century
f.6 A girl leaning against a weeping tree
163 x 89 mm. Deccan, first half of eighteenth
century
f.6b A page of nasta'liq script
f.7 A page of nasta'liq calligraphy
f.7b A sadhu or holy man with staff, bag, and
rosary
124 x 54 mm, extended to 192 x 124 mm
Mughal, first half of eighteenth century
f.8 A shepherd with slender staff and leather
water-bottle
153 x 51 mm. Persia or possibly Deccan, first
half of seventeenth century
f.8b Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, signed by Amir Shaykh al-Sani
and dated AH 967/AD 1559-60
f.9 Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, signed by Sayyid `Ali Khan
f.9b A prince, pausing from a hawking
expedition, receives water from one of five
girls who draw water from a well
207 x 171 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.10 A prince and his lady (perhaps intended
as Baz Bahadur and Rupmati) resting in a
grove with ladies in attendance
178 x 298 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-
eighteenth century
f.10b Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, signed by Muhmmed Husain
al-Tabrizi
f.11 Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, signed by Khalil-ullah.
f.11b A lady carrying a lamp, approaching a
half-open door
152 x 98 mm. Mughal, c.1740-50
f.12 A female ascetic seated outside a
dwelling
158 x 84 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.12b Persian calligraphy in small nasta'liq,
dated AH 1106/AD 1694-5, within a border of
larger nasta'liq
f.13 Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, signed by Mir Salih al-Katib.
f.13b A man with a white dog. He is spinning
wool on to a bobbin
120 x 43mm. Persia, or possibly Deccan, first
half of sevententh century
f.14 A marbled paper picture of a lady in
European costume, depicted half length with
her arm extended
38 x 51 mm. Deccan, c.1660
f.14b Six lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, signed by Mir `Ali, with
illuminated background
f.15 Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, dated AH1107/AD 1695-6
f.15b A young prince holding a rose and
sword
161 x 83 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.16 A girl seated on a hillock, attracting deer
by playing on a vina
137 x 86 mm. Deccan, first half of eighteenth
century
f.16b Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy, signed by `Ali al' Tabrizi. Border
of panels of calligraphy
f.17 Four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq
calligraphy
f.17b Kabir the weaver poet (d.1518) at his
loom with a disciple
109 x 141 mm. Deccan, mid-eighteenth
century
f.18 Kabir the weaver poet at his loom with a
disciple
109 x 159 mm. Deccan, mid-eighteenth
century
f.18b Persian verse in nasta'liq calligraphy,
signed by Muhammad Shafi'
f.19 Persian verse in nasta'liq calligraphy,
signed by Abdullah Shahani, dated AH
1030/AD 1620-1
f.19b A youth seated on a terrace. (Identified
above in Persian as Kulab, translated in the
English inscription as Khullaub)
182 x 102 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.20 Mulla Dopiaza, the celebrated Akbar-period
humorist, riding an emaciated horse
with a dog alongside
147 x 213 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.20b Five lines of nasta'liq calligraphy.
f.21 A page of tightly-written calligraphy,
dated with a regnal year 38
f.21b A Persian ruler, perhaps intended as
Shah `Abbas, with a minister and attendants
Drawing with pink wash and gold
90 x 1421 mm. Deccan, c.1650-70
f.22 A youth seated in a landscape playing a
long-necked lute
Drawing with some colour and gold
162 x 91 mm. Persia, Isfahan, c.1620-30
f.22b A page of nasta'liq calligraphy
f.23 Eleven lines of nasta'liq calligraphy
f.23b A man seated in a field. Identified as
Karbali, a Muslim saint
178 x 138mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.24 Mirza Sharaf standing with his thumbs
tucked in his belt
150 x 81 mm. Mughal, late seventeenth
century
f.24b A page of cursive nasta'liq calligraphy
f.25 Two couplets in nasta'liq calligraphy
f.25b A Muslim divine of seventeenth-century
Mughal India
111 x 80 mm, extended to 228 x 142 mm
Mughal, late seventeenth century
f.26 A nobleman kneeling and smoking a
hookah, holding a rosary
112 x 80 mm, extended to 227 x 151 mm
Mughal, early eighteenth century
f.26b Two couplets of Persian verse written in
nasta'liq calligraphy on a marbled ground
decorated with gold
f.27 A page of eight lines of text from a
Persian manuscript
f.27b The divine Mian Muhammadi visited by
Ruhullah Khan (c.1692)
166 x 105 mm. Provincial Mughal, eighteenth
century
f.28 The Mughal divine Mulla Shah seated
against a green bolster
178 x 93 mm. Mughal, late seventeenth
century
f.28b A quatrain in nasta'liq calligraphy, signed
by Muhammad Husain al-Katib
f.29 Five lines of text in nastu'liq script taken
from a manuscript
f.29b Shah Husain receiving a volume from
Mian Mir, an attendant courtier bearing a
morchal
198 x 162 mm. Provincial Mughal, late
seventeenth century
f.30 The Mughal divine Mulla Shah seated
outside a dwelling, an attendant disciple with
a morchal
178 x 143 mm. Provincial Mughal, late
seventeenth century
f.30b A quatrain written in nasta'liq calligraphy
on blue paper, signed by Muhammad Husain
al-Kashmiri
On the margin is the seal of Ghulam Husain
Khan with his note recording purchase of the
album on 17 Safar 1176/ 7th September
1762

Sir John Soane's Album
This album of Indian miniatures and
calligraphy was assembled in England soon
after 1810. It is bound in English gilt
morocco of c.1810-20 and bears Sir John
Soane's bookplate. In all probability Soane
was the first and only owner of the volume.
An interesting feature of the contents is
the presence of Sir Elijah Impey's seal on a
number of the folios. The seal is engraved in
Persian characters: Sir Elijah Impey, first
Chief Justice, year 16 [AD 1775]. Sir Elijah
Impey was Chief Justice of Bengal from 1774
to 1783, and he made a substantial collection
of miniatures during his residence in India.
The collection was subsequently dispersed at
auction by H. Phillips of 73 New Bond Street
on 21st May, 1810.
The binding is lettered on the spine
Collection of Drawings Costume &c of the
Persians. Many of the interleaves are of
Whatman paper watermarked with the date
1810. There is a manuscript title: A
Collection of Original Drawings Illustrating
the Costumes, Manners, & Amusement of
the Persians. Nevertheless, most of the
album's contents are of Indian origin.
37 folios, mostly Mughal, 18th century.
400 x 310 mm.
Assembled in England, c.1810-20
f.1 Equestrian portrait of Khan Jahan
Bahadur Kokaltash Khan (d. 1697) out
hawking with two men on foot, an army on
the far bank of a lake
Identified on reverse in Persian. Seal of Sir
Elijah Impey, dated 1775
300 x 233 mm. Provincial Mughal, Oudh,
c.1760
f.2 The Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605)
enthroned with two ministers attending
Identified beneath in Persian
226 x 158 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1760
f.2b Illuminated Persian calligraphy in nusta'liq
script, signed by Mir `Ali
f.3 Nawab Safdar Jang of Oudh (1739-54)
seated on a terrace with an attendant
standing
Identified on reverse in Persian. Seal of Sir
Elijah Impey, dated 1775
205 x 163 mm. Provincial Mughal, Oudh,
c.1770
f.4 Narak (?) Amir Khan seated on a garden
terrace with one of his ladies
Identified beneath and on reverse in Persian
Seal of Sir Elijah Impey, dated 1775
211 x 160 mm. Bengal, c.1770.
f.5 The Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah I
(1707-12) enthroned, an attendant courtier
standing
Signed by the artist Aqil on corner of throne
Identified beneath: King Moaz uldeen, and
his vizier. Also identified in Persian on the
reverse
293 x 194 mm. Mughal by Aqil Khan, c.1760
f.6 Nawab Khan Khanan standing in a field
holding a letter tied in an orange bag
Identified on reverse in Persian. Seal of Sir
Elijah Impey
161 x 93 mm. Provincial Mughal, Oudh (style
of Mihr Chand), c.1770
f.7 The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-
57) standing in a field holding a sword
Identified on reverse in Persian. Seal of Sir
Elijah Impey
171 x 90 mm. Provincial Mughal, Oudh (style
of Mihr Chand), c.1770
f.8 A lady, depicted half length
62 x 43 mm. Provincial Mughal, c.1760-70
f.9 A lady seated on a garden terrace while a
maid combs her hair for her, another girl
kneeling and playing with a
tambura
Inscribed beneath in Persian: Nur
Jahan Begum (Shah Jahan's wife).
199 x 122 mm. Mughal, c.1760-80
f.9b A line of nasta'liq calligraphy: Bism Allah
al-rahman al-rahim
f.10 Raja Ratan Chand kneeling with an
attendant standing. Identified beneath in
Persian
154 x 130 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1760
f.10b Four lines of Persian calligraphy in
nasta'liq script, signed by `Abd al-Hay
f.11 A nobleman seated on a terrace with a
falcon
264 x 180 mm. Mughal, mid-eighteenth century
f.11b Twelve lines of Arabic calligraphy in
naskhi script
f.12 Qulich Khan standing in a landscape
holding a ram-headed staff
Identified beneath in Persian
238 x 138 mm. Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.12b Calligraphy in stylised naskhi script on
blue paper, signed by `Abdullah and dated
AH 1140/AD 1727-8
f.13 A Nawab standing holding a spear
Indentified beneath in Persian
198 x 126 mm. Provincial Mughal,
Murshidabad, c.1760
f.13b Thirteen lines of Arabic calligraphy in
naskhi script
f.14 A lady in Persian costume, standing
holding her hands together. Derived from a
seventeenth-century Persian picture
208 x 115 mm. Provincial Mughal, third
quarter of eighteenth century
f.14b Arabic calligraphy written in naskhi script
on a marbled background, dated AH 1178/AD
1764-5
f.15 The Mughal emperor Babur (d. 1530)
seated in a landscape holding a book
Identified beneath in Persian
169 x 121 mm. Provincial Mughal, third
quarter of eighteenth century
f.15b Arabic calligraphy in two sizes of naskhi
script
f.16 A European courtesan, depicted half
length holding a flower
Inscribed beneath: khiyal (imaginary)
71 x 50 mm. Provincial Mughal, third quarter
of eighteenth century
f.16b A line of naskhi calligraphy.
f.17 A lady standing in a flowery field
Inscribed beneath in Persian: khiyal bai
(imaginary lady)
158 x 83 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.17b Four lines of stylised naskhi calligraphy
f.18 The Mughal emperor Jahangir (1605-
28) depicted head and shoulders with a halo
57 x 45 mm. Mughal, c.1620
f.19 Six holy men seated outside a hut, falling
under the influence of drug-taking
Inscribed beneath in Persian: majlis-i pustian
(assembly of opium-takers)
188 x 126 mm. Provincial Mughal, probably
Bengal, third quarter of eighteenth century
f.19b Thirteen lines of naskhi calligraphy,
dated AH 1177/AD1763-4
f.20 The singer Tansen standing in a
landscape
Identified beneath in Persian
160 x 97 mm. Provincial Mughal, third
quarter of eighteenth century
f.20b Arabic calligraphy in naskhi script, dated
AH 1172/AD 1758-9
f.21 Two head-and-shoulders miniature
portraits:
i) A nobleman with a gold halo
39 x 33 mm. Mughal, second half of
seventeenth century
ii) The Mughal emperor Shah.Jahan (1628-
57) with a blue and gold halo
48 x 41 mm. Mughal, c.1630-40
f.22 Nawab `Abdullah Khan Qutb al-Mulk of
Allahabad (d. 1733) seated with his lady in a
garden
Identified beneath in Persian
186 x 130 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.22b Five lines of Arabic calligraphy from the
Qur'an
f.23 A primitive ruler seated on a rock
receiving courtiers dressed in skins, his horse
tended by monkeys
Identified beneath as Emperor Qabchaq,
though the picture is based on the court of
Gayumars, the legendary first king of Iran
186 x 144 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1770
f.23b Illuminated Persian calligraphy in
nasta'liq script, signed by Muhammad `Ali
f.24 Firuz Jang standing in a flowery field
holding a paper
Identified beneath in Persian
216 x 135 mm. Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.24b Ten lines of stylised naskhi calligraphy.
f.25 Krishna raising Mount Govardhan to
protect the gopis and cowherds from the
storm
Identifications written in Persian on border
248 x 146 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
third quarter of eighteenth century
f.25b Stylised naskhi calligraphy; a date, now
damaged, apparently read AH 1111/AD1699-
1700
f.26 `Abd al-Jabbar, Vizier to the Golconda
court, standing in a field holding a flower
Identified beneath in Persian: `Abd al'Jabbar,
wazir-i Qutb al-Mulk Dekan
232 x 120 mm. Deccan, Golconda, c.1680
f.26b Three lines of Arabic calligraphy in
stylised naskhi
f.27 Fazl-ullah Khan riding a grey stallion and
holding a spear
Identified beneath in Persian
234 x 171 mm. Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.27b A line of naskhi calligraphy in white, on
gold-decorated blue paper
f.28 Prince Dara Shikoh (d.1659) standing
holding a sword and fly-whisk
Identified beneath in Persian
145 x 78 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.28b Arabic calligrahy in naskhi script in gold
and black
f.29 A nobleman seated on a garden terrace
with two musicians and an attendant
221 x 148 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1770
f.29b Seven lines of stylised naskhi calligraphy.
f.30 Nawab Islam Khan and Nawab Afzal
Khan standing facing one another on a
terrace. Nawab Islam Khan holds a rose
Identified beneath in Persian
253 x 176 mm. Mughal, mid-eighteenth
century
f.30b Arabic calligraphy in two sizes of naskhi
with illumination in colours and gold
f.31 Nawab Najm ud-Din `Ali Khan, brother
of Qutb al-Mulk, standing holding a sword
Identified beneath in Persian
214 x 165 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1770
f.31b Persian calligraphy in nasta'liq script,
signed by `Ali
f.32 Qamar ud-Din Khan (d. 1748), a minister
of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah,
seated holding a sword and sarpesh
Seal of Sir Elijah Impey dated 1775 on
reverse
282 x 198 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1760-70
f.33 Hakim `Ali Naqi Khan Hakim al-Mulk
riding a black stallion
Identified beneath in Persian
254 x 468 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1770
f.33b A page of nasta'liq calligraphy signed by
Muhammad Baqir and dated AH 1134/AD
1721-2
f.34 Vamana avatara, the dwarf incarnation of
Vishnu. A lady is pouring water on to the
hands of Bali, the dwarf Vamana appearing
on the right
Inscribed beneath in Persian: Raja Bal
158 x 113 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1760
f.34b Eight lines of Arabic calligraphy in naskhi
script
f.35 Nawab Isalat Khan wearing a fur-collared
coat
Identified beneath in Persian
159 x 76 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c. 1760
f.35b A page of calligraphy in naskhi script,
dated AH 1178/AD 1764-5 .
f.36 A Mughal prince holding a mango.
Identified beneath in Persian as Jahangir
134 x 63 mm. Provincial Mughal, Bengal,
c.1760
f.36b A mango depicted against a white
background
Labelled anbeh (mango) in Persian
characters
89 x 116 mm. Mughal, eighteenth century
Mounted above and below are four egg-shaped
designs with floral decoration in
green and gold. Murshidabad, c.1760
f.37 Shaykh Sa'di seated outside a doorway
receiving a princely visitor
Identified beneath in Persian
108 x 78 mm. Provincial Mughal, mid-
eighteenth century
f.37b Seven lines of Arabic calligraphy in
naskhi script

Thomas Pennant, Some Account of London, 1805
(4th edition)
Enlarged to form 6 volumes, with additional
original drawings, architectural designs &
topographical views & engravings of maps,
topographical views & portraits. Formerly in the
collection of Henry Fauntleroy.
These volumes were indexed by Walter Spiers,
forming a bound MS Volume entitled Indexes to
the Drawings and Prints illustrating `Some Account of
London’ by Thos. Pennant. 4th Edition, 1805 and
Evelyn's Memoirs and Diary. Edited by Willm. Bray.
2nd Edition, 1819, 1907, available for consultation at the Museum.
Only the following itemized entries of the
original architectural drawings in Pennant are
included in the present catalogue

Pennant Volume I
251 James Gibbs (1682-1754) & Francis Bird (1667-
1731)
LONDON: Westminster Abbey
Design for the monument to John Holles,
1st Duke of Newcastle, 1721-2
Plan & elevation

Pennant Volume II
145 William Kent (?1685-1748)
LONDON: Treasury Buildings
Design
Elevation
159-162 William Kent
LONDON: Royal Mews, Charing Cross
159 Design
Plan & elevation
160 Preliminary design, in Kent's hand
Part-elevation, with sketches of horses
161 Design, in Kent's hand
Plan & elevation
162 Preliminary design
Plan & elevations
193-198 William Kent
LONDON: St James's Palace
Preliminary designs for Queen Caroline's
Library, 1736-7
193 Part-plan of ceiling & elevation of
long side of room
194 Part-plan of ceiling & elevation of
long side of room & part-plan & elevation
of end of room
195 Plan & details of ceiling
196 Plan of end bays & elevation of end
wall
197 Plan & laid-out wall elevations &
sketch portrait of Queen Caroline, all in
Kent's hand
198 Plan & laid-out wall elevations of
Library
236 James Paine (1717-1789) Attributed to
LONDON: Foley House
Design, c.1753-8
Elevation
Insc: Ld Foley
Previous attribution to Stiff Leadbetter