The present lot has been suggested to be a habshi court official of the Mughal court. His dark complexion indicates his identity as a habshi, of African origin (most likely Ethiopia). The presence of African descendants in India could be traced back to the 15th century. While trade routes brought luxury goods and exotic foods to the empire, slaves were also transported along the routes. From the 16th century until the late 17th century, small numbers (around 500) were brought to India, especially to the Deccan (Mengesha, A. G., “The Habshis,” International Journal of Ethiopian Studies, Summer/Fall 2003, vol. 1, no. 1 (Summer/Fall 2003), p. 92). This practice continued intermittently until the end of the 19th century. Initially, the African newcomers were employed as defenders of the royal domains, but over time, they came to serve in armed and naval forces under Muslim, Hindu and European rule.
Much different from the model of slavery in the American context, enslavement in Mughal India functioned less like a rigid master-slave dynamic, sustained by patronage and service conditions. Instead, military slaves were often elevated to positions of power, serving as generals, administrators and, in some cases, even kingmakers. Like the Mamluks of Egypt and Syria, habshi troops proved to be highly capable, “holding their own amid the ceaseless intrigues and conspiracies of the subcontinent” (Mengesha, ibid.). They earned the confidence of the Nizams thanks to their exceptional military skills and unwavering loyalty. Their conversion to Islam and adoption of Muslim names allowed them to integrate more seamlessly into the ruling elite. However, this also made identifying their precise origins in historical chronicles more difficult.
In this portrait, the habshi official is depicted wearing a luxurious, translucent jama, paired with a cream white pagri, white trousers and bright yellow footwear. In his right hand, he holds a tasbih, signifying his Muslim faith, while his left hand grasps folds of fabric. A long sword in a rose-pink sheath is fastened at his waist. The figure stands against a minimalist sage-green background, with a carefully rendered, naturalistic portrayal of flowers and plants in the foreground.
The portrait is enclosed in an indigo-and-gold frame, set against a sky-blue folio adorned with gold floral motifs. The folio is number “40” on the upper left corner, and honorific titles and names in Arabic and Persian are inscribed in the top and bottom borders of the portrait. Two lines of inscriptions, in Persian and Telugu, appear above the official’s head, apparently, "Syed Mir Rayhān, suba Bijapur" in Persian and "Mir Kalan Khan" in Telugu.
For comparison, the Yousef Jameel Centre at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, houses a similar portrait from Golconda, depicting Sidi Masud Khan (acc. no. LI118.103). The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, holds a portrait of the habshi courtier Malik Ambar (acc. no. 26.8), along with another depicting his son, Fath Khan (acc. no. 17.3103). The Metropolitan Museum of Art possesses a more elaborate double portrait featuring Sultan Muhammad ‘Atil Shah and his habshi prime minister Ikhlas Khan riding an elephant (acc. no. 2022.198).