AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: MADHUMADHAVI RAGINI
INDIA, RAJASTHAN, AMBER, CIRCA 1700
Estimate: £3,000 - £4,000
Auction: 11 June 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
gouache on paper heightened in gold, gold and red border, two lines of nagari text above in a yellow panel, depicting a nayika holding a cup of water out to the peacocks resting in the tree, and holding a surahi in her left hand, a female attendant waits on her with a tray with more cups, to the right a maid servant is freshening up her bed inside a palace pavilion
Dimensions
31cm x 23.5cm
Provenance
Formerly, Private Collection, London.
Footnote
For illustrations from the same series, see Christie's, The Doris Wiener Collection, 30 March 2012, lots 283 and 285, and; Bonhams, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art, 11 September 2012, lot 60. These paintings along with our painting are characterised by their diminutive female figures contrasting with bold background colours, two lines of nagari text against a yellow background above, a pink layered brick wall below with a side shadow, and lastly the red and gold border.
Two slightly earlier paintings in the Victoria and Albert Museum attributed to Amber share a similar composition (IS.78-1952; IS.82-1952).