'Alivardi Khan, who became Nawab of Bengal in 1740, in his palace at Murshidabad

Source: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LOTDETAIL.ASP?sid=&intObjectID=4483532&SE=CMWCAT04+867888+%2D1703759171+&QR=M+1+0+Aqc0000900+841546++Aqc0000900+&entry=india&SU=1&SN=7038&RQ=True&AN=174
(downloaded Apr. 2005)

"'ALIVARDI KHAN AND A COURTIER, MURSHIDABAD, CIRCA 1745 AD. Gouache heightened with gold on paper, the ruler seated on a terrace holding a gold ring with a courtier, an attendant standing behind him, mounted on an album leaf. Miniature 13¾ x 9¾in. (35 x 25cm.)

Lot Notes:  'Alivardi Khan arrived in Bengal in 1720 and through outstanding ability was appointed to the post of Nawab's deputy in Bihar. Through a powerful alliance with his brother he eventually acceded to the position of Nawab in 1740."

*A landscape with a shrine and pilgrims [in Murshidabad]; a gouache painting, c.1760* (BL)

*A river scene with a nobleman in a morpunkhi, with a shrine and travellers; a gouache painting, c.1760* (BL); [*river scene 1760*]

*A View of the Cuttera [Katra Mosque] built by Jaffier Cawn [Murshid Quli Khan] at Muxadavad; by William Hodges, 1781* (BL); [*Hodges 1781*]

*Chandi Chauk and Munny Begum's mosque, Murshidabad; a watercolor in the Murshidabad style, c.1790-1800* (BL)

*Firework display on a bright moonlit night outside the Agna Mahal, part of the Nawab's palace beside the river at Murshidabad; a painting c.1790-1800* (BL)

*Nawab Mubarak al-Daula of Murshidabad (1770-93) enthroned in durbar, with the British Resident, Sir John Hadley D'Oyly, and the Nawab's son, Babur 'Ali; a watercolor, c.1790-1800* (BL)

*'View of a Mosque at Moorshedabad [Murshidabad] with representation of a bazaar or Indian market'; by James Moffat, 1809* (BL); [*Moffat 1809*]

*The city of Murshidabad (Bengal) with the banqueting hall of the Nawab's old palace seen from the river; by Robert Smith, c.1814-15* (BL); [*Smith,c.1814*]

"Grand state procession of the Nawab of Moorshedabad," from the Illustrated London News, 1857; CLICK ON ANY QUARTER OF THE ENGRAVING FOR A VERY LARGE SCAN

Source: Bought on ebay and scanned by FWP, Apr. 2008

"The Palace of the Nawab of Moorshedabad," from the Illustrated London News, 1858

Source: ebay, Aug. 2005

The Nawab's riverside banqueting hall, as it looks today

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/purplemeru/310915969/
(downloaded Dec. 2006)

*A mosque in Murshidabad; a modern visitor's photograph*

Source: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/13234/cat/501
(downloaded Jan. 2007)

*The Char Bangla temple at Murshidabad; a modern visitor's photograph*

Source: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/13110/cat/501
(downloaded Dec. 2006)