Lot 76

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: DESI RAGINI
INDIA, UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW, CIRCA 1760




Auction: 10 December 2025 from 14:00 GMT
Description
gouache on paper heightened in gold, black, red and white margin rules, gold floral decorated navy blue border, and gold sprinkled outer border, depicting a bejewelled prince sleeping on his day bed with a courtesan asleep at his feet, a bejewelled lady stands over him as if to wake him up, all on a Mughal-style palace terrace, a tree line behind, old varnish on surface, mounted, glazed and framed
Dimensions
sight size: 35.2cm x 25.5cm
Provenance
Private Somerset collection.
Footnote
This scene is unusual and rather charming. Not only is the main protagonist asleep but so is one of his female attendants, most likely a courtesan. The main female protagonist appears to be trying to wake him. The closest comparison in terms of subject matter is Desi Ragini (see K. Ebeling, Ragamala Painting, 1973, p. 247).



