Detail: Stuart Cary Welch (1928–2008) was a uniquely gifted scholar and a hugely influential figure in the study of the art and aesthetics of India and the Middle East. He shared this journey with his life-long companion Edith, with whom he built the most extraordinary and eclectic collection of artworks. For the couple, collecting was a pathway to knowledge and a never-ending source of inspiration and pleasure. After two record-breaking sales of Cary's Islamic and Indian art in April and May 2011, Sotheby's is honoured to offer the third and fourth segments of the Stuart and Edith Cary Welch Collection. This boasts an impressive Indian section of Mughal and Company School paintings alongside miscellaneous Indian artefacts, as well as a wide range of cross-categorical artworks including European silver, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese art.