Classical Indian Scenes - 4 - Unkown - India - 20th century

A group of 4 Indian miniature paintings, gouache heightened with gold on mica (Company School) (first picture) and paper and Mughal/Rajasthani style

1. Procession scene depicting a seated dignitary being carried in a blue palanquin by four bearers in red and white livery, shaded by a ceremonial umbrella (cahtri) held above him. Attendant flank the palanquin, one blown a horn while a sword bearing guards strides ahead. The loose brushwork and genre subject are typical of Company School painting documenting Indian court and social life and produced for the export market.

2. Circle dance scene showing a group of villagers joined hand in hand in a circular folk dance beneath a tree. Also in Company school idiom, this type of image was typically produced as part of sets illustrating regional casters, occupations and festival.

3. Romantic terrace scene, a finer, jewel-tones miniature in the Mughal manner, showing a richly dressed prince and lady reclining on a bolster-strewn terrace at dusk, before an ornate pavilion with lotus pond beyond. Two lines of Persian/Urdu calligraphy are inscribed along the lower margin.

4. A Rajasthani style gouache painting of a bejewelled woman kneeling on a spread peacock-feather fan beneath a tall palm tree, gesturing upward, with a peacock and various small ritual vessels arranged before her. The painting very likely belongs to the genre of Indian painting called Ragamala - "garland of musical modes". The specific iconography here suggest Todi Ragini, one of the most popular ragini subjects - a beautiful woman charming deer or peacocks with music, associated with chelate morning and with viraha (the pain and longing of separation from the beloved and yearning for their return. The peacock in particular is associated with this theme.

Sizes. Pic 1 and 2 are of the size shown in the description with frame sizes of 24x28 and 16x21cm respectively. Pic 3 (Mughal) image is 17x10cm with frame size 32x24cm. Pic 4 is 18x15cm, with frame size 24x20cm.

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