TOWNSCAPE AFTER A WESTERN ENGRAVING: KRISHNA IN MATHURA
INDIA, RAJASTHAN, JAIPUR, CIRCA 1780
£20,160
Auction: Indian Paintings from the Collection of William & Mildred Archer | Lots 84 to 152 | 12 June at 10am
Description
gouache on card, depicting Krishna in a palanquin borne by ladies in a street in Mathura, other ladies carrying flower wands and garlands stroll along the pink street amongst beds of yellow and white flowers, large houses with orange blinds flank the street, in the distance can be seen the river with scarlet boats and the town of Mathura, all within a narrow yellow border, mounted, glazed and framed
Dimensions
Folio: 20cm x 23.6 cm (7 7/8in x 9 2/8in).
Provenance
Acquired before 1948.
Footnote
Exhibited:
Circulated by the Smithsonian Institute, USA, in 1963-1964, and exhibited in Ohio, Indianapolis, Richmond, New Hampshire and Ottawa.
Loan to Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1994, no. 21.
Literature:
W. G. Archer, Indian Miniatures from the Collection of Mildred and W. G. Archer, Exhibition Catalogue, Washington, 1963, no. 21 (illustrated).
Note:
As W.G. Archer notes, ‘Jaipur was founded by Jai Singh II (1700-44), who examined plans of European cities and buildings such as Versailles. As a result, many, many engravings reached Jaipur, and local artists produced sets of views of Indian and European towns. These made use of perspective and detail.’
For very similar examples in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin see Linda York Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, vol. II, Dublin, 1995, nos. 7.86-7.88. They share the same fantasy views and whimsical-like figures.