INDIAN COMPOSITE ANIMAL PAINTINGS
6 WATERCOLOURS LAID INTO A MID-19TH CENTURY SCRAP ALBUM
£3,000
Rare Books, Maps, Manuscripts & Photographs
Auction: 19 June 2019 at 12:00 BST
Description
comprising a composite cow made from fish, a camel, ducks, monkeys, tigers, a bear, a horse and other creatures being led by a mythical human figure, 330 x 192mm, laid onto album leaf; a composite camel made from animals including tigers, ducks and a rhino, being ridden by a musician, 150 x 155mm [laid onto an album leaf with] a composite ox made from animals including crows, tigers, a fish, a rhino, an elephant and a cobra; a composite elephant made from monkeys, rabbits, a tiger, a rhino and other creatures, being ridden by a woman and led by a mythical human figure, elephant 235 x 183mm, laid-down onto album leaf with leader trimmed and laid-down separately; a composite tiger made from tigers, birds, an elephant, a fish, a rhino and other creatures, being led by a mythical human figure, 295 x 115mm, laid-down onto album leaf; a composite horse, jumping and being ridden by a man, made from birds, tigers, an elephant, a bear, fish, snakes and other creatures, 160 x 180mm, laid-down to album leaf; album also contains various silhouette cut-outs and other engravings, some hand-coloured
Footnote
Note: Composite animal painting in India finds its roots in 18th century Mughal works, which, in turn, adopted the style from earlier Persian painting. In the 19th century, the works captured tourists' imaginations, and were produced as souvenirs.