Lot 98
A CHARMING GROUP OF SEVEN RAGAMALA PAINTINGS
INDIA, RAJASTHAN, AMBER, CIRCA 1680
Auction: 09 December 2026 from 14:00 GMT
Description
gouache on paper heightened in gold, depicting:
Hindol Raga: Krishna seated on a cushion of lotus petals on a swing at night, two maidens to either sideMalkos Raga: A seated lord with his hand raised on a palace terrace, a maiden waving a morchal at his sideVasant Ragini: The lord Krishna dressed in peacock feathers dancing with two female musiciansDesvarati Ragini: A maiden with her arms overhead on a palace terrace with maidens at her sideVasant Ragini: The lord Krishna with the Gopis celebrating HoliNat Ragini: A warrior on horseback in battleBairadi Ragini: Lovers caressing on a terrace, the maiden turning her face towards her attendant, who is waving a chaurimounted, glazed and framed
Dimensions
sight seen 19.2cm x 13cm (each)
Provenance
Formerly in a private collection, UK; acquired through auction by the present owner.
Footnote
A ragamala 'garland of love' or 'string of melodies' has over the centuries of Indian painting given inspiration to artists from all the Mughal and Rajput schools. With the themes of music and love intertwined, artists have had much to celebrate depicting lords, maidens, palace terraces and lush landscapes. For a further discussion on Ragamala paintings, see K. Ebeling, Ragamala Painting, Zurich, 1973 and C. Glynn, R. Skelton and A. L. Dallapiccola, Ragamala Paintings from India from the Claudio Moscatelli Collection, London, 2011.
This set of paintings is a fine example of a ragamala series executed in the seventeenth century in a sub-imperial Mughal style. They are characterised by the luscious trees, their soft palette of yellows, greens and reds, and the softness in which the female figures are all painted in profile in their traditional Rajput saris. The majority of this group of Ragamalas are painted with a hill in the background with a glen of blossoming trees, setting a joyous scene of spring. For a similar composition from Amber, dated to the early seventeenth century, see P. Pal et al, Pleasure Gardens of the Mind, Indian Paintings from the Jane Greenough Green Collection, LACMA, 1992, no. 31 and in the Metropolitan Museum see object number 1999.148.