The Prophets of Islam, India, Deccan, probably Hyderabad, attributable to Taj al-din, circa 1900 Large gouache on paper depicting, in a large mandorla with jagged contours, 25 figures of the Prophets of Islam in gilded medallions. Each Prophet, from Adam as a couple with Eve to Muhammad with a veiled face, not forgetting Lot, Ibrahim, Yusuf, Suleiman, Musa, Yunus and 'Isa, is shown kneeling on a red ground, his head turbaned and shrouded in a large flame, his name captioned in black ink below the medallion. At the top are Arabic inscriptions, the first in thuluth reading "Subhan allah ta'ala" ("Glory be to God, may he be exalted"), the second in diwani cursive giving the beginning of verse 36 of Sura XVI an-Nahl. The whole is set against a water-green background, the corners illuminated with gilded foliage. Framed. Sight size: 51.8 x 39 cm Minor stains and folds. In addition to his skills as a calligrapher and painter, Taj al-Din worked as a secretary for the government of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Two signed works by this artist sold at Bonhams in London on October 25, 2007 (lot 57) and November 5, 2014 (lot 16).