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American, 1918-1988Against the Grain, 1964Signed and dated H. DAUM. 64 (lr)Oil on canvas25 1/4 x 36 inches (64.1 x 91.4 cm)Provenance:Riva Yares Gallery, Scottsdale, ArizonaSnyder Fine Art, New YorkDavid Findlay Jr. Fine Art, New YorkExhibited:Snyder Fine Art, New York, Works of Art from the 1960s and 70s, January 28 - March 15 - 1997David Findlay Jr. Fine Art. New York, Howard Daum: Exploring Indian Space, October 7 - October 28, 2006Framed 28 x 39 inchesIn overall good condition. Some minor wear to canvas edges. There is an area with some light craquelure in the upper right corner, with some corresponding inpainting. Further inpainting visible along the edges.Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
AFTER ÉMILE-CORIOLAN-HIPPOLYTE GUILLEMIN (1841-1907), A BRONZE FIGURAL LIGHT OR TORCHERE 'FEMME INDIENNE' CAST BY BARBEDIENNE, CIRCA 1886-1900 Bronze, signed to the cast "Ele. Guillemin 1872" on the base, incised "F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR", set on a cast iron cylindrical pedestal base the figure 147cm high to the top of the light, the base 89cm high, approximately 236cm high overall Provenance: Sotheby's London, European Sculpture and Works of Art 900 - 1900, 10th December 2002, Lot 195 Literature: F. Barbedienne catalogue-Bronzes d'Art, 1886, p. 63 E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Gründ, 2006, vol. VI, p. 877 Pierre Kjellberg Bronzes of the Nineteenth Century: Dictionary of Sculptors, , 1994, p. 369-70. After debuting at the Paris Salon in 1870, Emile Coriolan Hippolyte Guillemin became well-known for his taste for 'Orientalist' figures, Accommodating the taste of the wealthier and better travelled buyers, he specialised in producing models of figures from 'exotic' far-flung regions: courtesans from Japan, women and men from Turkey and Algiers, hunters and falconers from the Middle East and women from India and Persia. This figure of Femme Indienne was first modelled in 1872 and, after acquiring the rights to produce this model and two other pairs of sculptures, Barbedienne offered this sculpture in their 1886 catalogue as "Deux Femmes, Indienne et Persane" depicting both an Indian and a Persian female lifting torcheres in their upraised arms. They were offered in a choice of sizes: 200cm, 120cm, 95cm and 78cm high. An example of the largest version of the pair were installed to flank the entrance to the Barbedienne estate and were sold in 1984 at the Hotel des Ventes for 530,000 francs. Condition Report: Formerly electrified and with vacant holes from switches and prior mountings to upper right arm, base and to light stem. Traces of wiring visible to light section but the whole will require rewiring if wanted for domestic use. Probably repaired to base of top central stem which is slightly darker in colour. No glass globes. Surface of bronze with small remnants of previous more golden finish. Sone wear and scuffs notably to her left and hand and large scratch to base. Her right arm with construction joint to upper end- this has worked loose- probably from handling/rewiring and has small pin which may be original- and later screws mismatched which are not- will benefit greatly from remedial repinning Pedestal probably formerly painted- now stripped and with some rust from damp storage. Hole to top of one side presumably from prior wiringCondition Report Disclaimer
David K. Stone (American, 1922 - 2001)"Trading in Santa Fe"Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Canvas.Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.This painting originally appeared in the Fleetwood Trails West Collection of Fine Art Prints as "Trading in Santa Fe" published in 1983.Founded in 1609, Santa Fe served as a northern outpost of New Spain for more than two centuries. It remained isolated from the United States until 1821, when a handful of merchants moving westward forged the Santa Fe Trail. Sharing unknown risks, these few courageous men loaded their merchandise on pack animals and successfully completed the trip to Santa Fe in four months. After selling their merchandise at a handsome profit, they quickly returned home to prepare for a return trip. Encouraged by the reports of success, more merchants headed west to Santa Fe to profit from the newly discovered trade center. In Sante Fe, the cargoes of textiles, lead, hardware, cutlery, glassware and many other items were traded for silver, mules, pelts and hides, blankets and other items that were in demand in the East. This "commerce of the prairies" thrived in spite of the hostile Indian tribes of the Southwest, burdensome duties, wagon tolls and official graft, in addition to the normal problems of trade. Indeed, from 1822 a Santa Fe trade existed that changed the history of the Southwest. Trappers and fur traders now worked out of Santa Fe to gain access to the southern Rockies -- rich in beaver and other wildlife. These mountain men, too, became an integral part of the trading business in Santa Fe.Overall Size: 18 x 21 in.Unframed.(B07277)
After Orovida Pissarro (British 1893-1968) a limited edition monochrome etching 'Zebra & Foal' , signed, entitled and numbered 19/50 in pencil to margin, within a card mount and wooden frame under glass 22.5cm x 19.5cm & 38cm x 29.5cm overall. *(born Orovida Camille Pissarro, 1893-1968) was a British painter and printmaker known for her unique style that blended influences from Japanese, Chinese, Persian, and Indian art. She was the first woman in her family to become a professional artist and the first to paint. Orovida was the daughter of artist Lucien Pissarro and granddaughter of Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro. Print attached to mount with single piece of tape, upper centre and is in good condition commensurate with age, with no aparant issues, frame appears later.
Jenny Wheatley RWS NEAC (British b.1959); 'Indian Wedding', watercolour, signed, and titled on label verso, 76cm x 87cm Provenance; with catalogues for The Alpine Gallery, New English Art Club 1st-6th June 1987 No. 121, then Drumkilbo House, Blairegowrie PerthshireShipping £88.00 plus vat (UK Only)
A Chinese Bronze Vase, in archaic style, together with a Japanese bronze vase, cast iron soldier, Indian carved wooden statue of Lord Ganesh, Meiji boxwood foot, Isle of White glass vase, Meissen plate, cranberry glass, Art Nouveau tray (one shelf)Archaic vase - one handle/lug missing with a possible patch repair, some other minor dents and scratches. Vase is unmarked.Other items in the lot not reported
A PRATAPGARH THEWA PARCEL-GILT SILVER BOX WITH STAINED GLASS AND FIGURAL GOLD LEAF DECORATION Rajasthan, North-Western India, late 19th centuryA rectangular Indian silver box from Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, the lid exquisitely inlaid using the traditional thewa technique, with a pierced sheet of pure gold depicting the beloved couple of Radha and Krishna followed by a procession of cowherd girls (gopis) beneath flowering trees, surrounded by cows, bulls, and peacocks, all set against a shimmering green glass ground, the silver body and sides chased with scrolling floral patterns, the interior richly gilt, the base plain and highly polished, this distinctive Pratapgarh thewa work is prized by collectors for its unique method of fusing finely pierced gold leaf with vibrantly coloured glass, a craft developed in Rajasthan from the late 18th century and flourishing until the early 20th century, most often for presentation boxes, jewellery caskets, and collectible Indian decorative art. Thewa pieces are celebrated for their intricate goldwork, often showing scenes from Hindu mythology, Mughal court life, or floral and animal motifs.8.5cm x 6cm x 3.5cm130gr.
AN INDIAN MAIDEN WITH FLOWERING VASE PROPERTY FROM A CANADIAN COLLECTION Possibly Bikaner, Rajasthan or Punjab Hills, Northern India, second half 19th centuryOpaque pigments heightened with gold and white wash on wove paper, the standing portrait depicting a courtly lady wearing a diaphanous anarkali robe and embroidered jama trousers, with a golden sash on the front and a light yellow shawl with gold borders on the head, the jewellery and attire indicative of her high social status, holding a tall stick with white flowers, and a miniature gold vase with flowering bouquet, set within black and mango yellow rules, and cream and taupe borders, pasted onto thicker card, the reverse with an inscription in pencil reading Maharani Jodha Bai (also known as Mariam-uz-Zamani, a Rajput princess married to the Mughal emperor Akbar and mother of Emperor Jahangir), the old frame (now missing) marked with the retailer sticker of Newman Galleries from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in use between 1935 - 1960.21.8cm x 15.4cm Newman Galleries was an art gallery established by George and Adolph Newman at 806 Market Street in Philadelphia, in 1865. They specialised in works on paper. The gallery was forced to move in 1893, and the brothers dissolved the partnership; George opened a gallery at 1622 Chestnut Street and Adolph opened the Adolph Newman and Son Gallery at 704 Chestnut Street with his son Walter. Adolph and Walter B. Newman were forced to move again in 1918 to 1732 Chestnut Street. In 1920, Adolph retired and left the gallery to his son and to his grandson Walter Andrew Newman. The depression necessitated the move in 1935 to yet another location, this time at 1625 Walnut Street, and in the 1960s a frame and repair shop was added to the business at 2306 South Street. The old retailer sticker of the frame that once contained the present painting must have been in use between the last move and the time when the frame and repair shop were added to the family business. 21.8cm x 15.4cm Qty: 1
209 ISLAMIC, INDIAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN ART AUCTION CATALOGUES Reference libraryAn extensive and valuable reference library of approximately 209 auction catalogues from Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams, covering a wide range of Islamic, Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian art. Includes important single-owner sales, themed collections, and major annual auctions from London and New York. Subjects include manuscripts, miniature painting, sculpture, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, and ethnographic objects. An indispensable resource for scholars, dealers, collectors, and specialists in non-Western art.
AN INDIAN SILVER WINE OR SPIRIT FLASK (CHUSKI) Rajasthan, India, 19th centuryOf bulbous shape with a flaring ribbed neck, the piece featuring three finials in the shape of stylised birds, one crowning the lid and two adorning the handle and spout, with a suspension silver chain, the raised foot pierced and chased with stylised acanthus leaves radiating outward in a symmetrical pattern.15cm x 11cm This type of vessel was traditionally used to serve wine or other libations during ceremonial occasions. The figural birds may represent stylised peacocks or parrots—motifs commonly associated with festivity and royalty in Indian art. While utilitarian in form, the piece is highly ornamental, showcasing the skill of local silversmiths during the late Mughal and early colonial periods. For two similar Indian silver chuskis, earlier in date, please see Christiane Terlinden, Mughal Silver Magnificence, 16th-19th Century, 1987, pp. 119 - 120, cats. 162 and 163. 15cm x 11cm Qty: 1
237 ISLAMIC, INDIAN, SOUTHEAST ASIAN, EAST ASIAN ART & RUG CATALOGUES Reference libraryAn extensive and scholarly group of approximately 237 auction catalogues and gallery publications relating to Islamic, Indian, Himalayan, Southeast Asian, and East Asian art. Includes a complete or near-complete run of Simon Ray and Finch & Co. publications, as well as important rug and carpet sales from Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Bonhams. Subjects covered include sculpture, ceramics, manuscripts, textiles, and ethnographic objects, offering invaluable reference for collectors, curators, and researchers. Qty: 237
Zebrowski (Mark). Gold, Silver & Bronze from Mughal India, Alexandria Press, 1997, numerous colour and monochrome illustrations, original cloth gilt, 4to, together with Jaffer (Amin). Luxury Goods from India, The Art of the Indian Cabinet-Maker, 1st edition, V & A Publications, 2002, numerous colour illustrations, original dark blue cloth gilt in dustwrapper, 4to, plus Groddio (Franck, and Evelyne Jay Guyote de Saint Michel). Griffin on the Route of an Indiaman, London: Periplus Publishing, 1999, numerous colour and monochrome illustrations, original blue cloth gilt in dustwrapper, folio, and others on Indian art, including Hastividyarnava, edited by Dr. Pratap Chandra Chowdhury, Assam Publication Board, 1976, W. G. Archer, Visions of Courtly India, The Archer Collection of Pahari Miniatures, 1976, Veronica Murphy and Rosemanry Crill, Tie-dyed Textiles of India, Traditon and Trade, Victoria & Albert Museum, 1991, Krishna Lal, Bidri Ware, National Museum Collection, New Delhi, 1990, etc., mostly orignal cloth in dustwrappers, but including some paperbound editions, mainly 4toQTY: (41)
A Xavier crystal large glass bowl on stand, the Indian metal stand cast as a square plinth with leaf shaped central supports, the entire approx 26cm high together with an Art Nouveau style large cast metal dressing table mirror., the silvered body cast with putti., backed, approx 35 x 29c, and an EPNS sauceboat with broken handle (1 box - 3)
Ruskin (John, art critic and social critic, 1819-1900) Autograph Letter signed to Henry Jowett, manager of Messrs. Hazell, Watson & Viney’s printing works, 2pp., 8vo, Brantwood, Coniston, 26th December 1883, "I think the new Fors [Clavigera] looks very pretty: it is curious that Punch this week takes the same line. As soon as you get into gear again would you look if you have still in type the long Indian bit herewith enclosed. If not, I will repeat... in larger type... . You have not thrown off any of Mr Collingwoods book yet, have you? - but you have all the cuts right I suppose [Ruskin's introduction to Collingwood's book Limestone Alps of Savoy (1884)", folds, 3 small pieces of tape at edges, laid down on card. *** Henry Jowett, manager of Messrs. Hazell, Watson & Viney’s printing works at Aylesbury. William Gershom Collingwood (1854-1932), author, artist, and antiquary; secretary of Ruskin; author of The Life and Works of John Ruskin, 1893.
India.- Father of Rudyard Kipling.- The Journal of Indian Art, No.1, this issue on 'The Brass and Copper ware of the Punjab and Kashmir' by John Lockwood Kipling, 11 lithographed plates (as called for), some spotting or foxing, lightly browned, loose in original pictorial wrappers, ink stamp of Bernard Quaritch, and green printed label of Calcutta booksellers W. Newman & Co., lacking backstrip, tear to lower wrapper repaired with tape verso, a few tears or chips, folio, W. Griggs, January, 1884. *** Loosely inserted is a 6pp. pamphlet produced by the Art Journal on the modification of the Government's scheme for the encouragement of India's industrial arts. John Lockwood Kipling (1837-1911), art teacher, illustrator and museum curator, who spent most of his career in India.
(Indian Art) Pictures of the Indian Artist Raja Ravivarma Original thin leather wraps with gilt tooled lettering to front wrap, decorative endpapers, water damage to bottom corner running through the entirety of the book not affecting pictures or text, gift label pasted to front binders leaf To, Miss M. E. Mackenzie....R. Lakshminaraimha Iyer....Central Nazir, District Court, Trichinopoly, pp.6 with 87 b+w illustrations, no imprint or date, thought to be early 20th century, India.Rare.
MORTIMER MENPES (AUSTRALIAN/BRITISH 1855-1938) ON THE MARGE OF THE SUNSET, BENARESsigned Mortimer Menpes lower left; inscribed Benares beneath a label on the reverseoil on panel, in the artist's original designed fluted panel frame with offset window10 x 16.5cm; 4 x 6 1/2in 34.5 x 28.5cm; 13 1/2 x 11 1/4in (framed)Property from a Private Collection, HampsteadExhibitedLondon, Dowdeswell & Dowdeswell's Galleries, Paintings, Drawings, Etchings and Diamond Points on Ivory of India, Burma and Cashmere, 1891, no. 102The Cotman Gallery, BirminghamThe Graves Gallery, BirminghamAdelaide, Art Gallery of South Australia, The World of Mortimer Menpes, Painter, Etcher, Raconteur, 2014, n.n. (illustrated in colour in the catalogue, pp. 59 & 195) Menpes first visited India, Kashmir and Burma (now Mayanmar) in 1890, exhibiting the fruits of his travels in the spring of the following year in Paintings, drawings, etchings and diamond points on ivory, of India, Burma and Cashmere at Dowdeswell & Dowdeswell's gallery at 160 New Bond Street. In 1902 he returned again to India to cover the Delhi Durbar (see introduction). After completing his assignment, he travelled extensively in northern India, once again visiting Kashmir. His exhibition Paintings of India by Mortimer Menpes at Dowdeswell & Dowdeswell in 1905 coincided with the publication of Menpes in India which featured seventy five colour plates by the artist and text by Flora Annie Steel, an author noted for her writing on the Indian sub-continent.The frame of this and the following lot reflects Menpes' fascination with Japonisme, the formative years he spent working with Whistler, and the influence in particular of his trip to Japan in 1887. Impressed with the high quality of Japanese craftsmanship on his travels through the country, he ordered two hundred frames to be sent back to England. On their arrival in London they were gilded by Frederick Henry Grau in his Fulham workshop (Grau's label is stuck to the reverse of the present lot). For a full discussion of Menpes' innovative frame designs visit www.theframeblog.com. FIFTEEN WORKS BY MORTIMER MENPES (lots 1-15) The rich variety of Mortimer Menpes' remarkable life could never be fully captured in just fifteen of his works. His interests ranged from sharp shooter (he shot for England) to market gardener, by way of artist, explorer, publisher, printer and self-confessed raconteur. But the following lots do give a lively sense of the extent of his travels, the range of his interests and his fascination with Japan in particular. Menpes grew up in Port Adelaide, Southern Australia and moved to London in 1875 where he studied at The Government School of Design, South Kensington (now the Royal College of Art). In 1880, he met James McNeill Whistler which transformed his work and his social network. Together with Walter Sickert he worked as Whistler's studio assistant, accompanied the American artist on sketching trips and shared a flat with him in Chelsea. Greatly influenced by Whistler's aesthetic in particular his debt to Japonisme, Menpes visited Japan in 1887. He returned to London with material for his first major exhibition: Paintings, Drawings and Etchings of Japan which opened at Dowdeswell & Dowdeswell's, 160 New Bond Street in 1888. Using small format panels that suited the intimacy of the subject matter, Menpes presented the works in stylised fluted frames that he had ordered from Japanese craftsmen (lots 1 & 2). He also hung the paintings close together in clusters on the gallery walls, reflecting the Japanese aesthetic for the careful placement of objects in space. However, Whistler was furious that Menpes had not acknowledged his influence, ceased communication, and bad-mouthed the younger artist in public. Despite Whistler’s ire, the exhibition marked the beginning of Menpes' collaboration with Dowdeswell & Dowdeswell's over the following two decades and his rise to fame and even greater fortune. Virtually every other year Menpes travelled to distant parts returning with material to be show, such as India, Burma, Kashmir, Italy, France, Morocco, Egypt and Mexico. In 1898 Menpes engaged the architect A H Mackmurdo to construct a 'Japanese' house for he and his family at 25 Cadogan Gardens, Knightsbridge. Highly distinctive in its exterior design and with Japanese inspired and crafted interiors, the house became a magnet for hosting artistic soirees, social acceptance for Menpes which led to a succession of important portrait commissions. Sitters included Sarah Bernhardt, Sir Henry Irving and Arthur Conan Doyle. In 1900 he was commissioned by the magazine Black and White Illustrated Weekly to accompany the City of London Imperial Volunteers as a war artist during the Boer War in South Africa. Two years later he returned to India to cover the Delhi Durbar - the coronation of King George VII, Emperor of India - for the Pall Mall Gazette, The Illustrated London News and Punch magazine. In London, in conjunction with the publishers A & C Black he pioneered a new form of illustrated travel book, printed in colour, and established a colour printing firm The Menpes Press. Menpes first showed his work at the Royal Academy in 1880, he became a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in 1881, Royal Society of British Artists in 1885, Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours in 1897 and Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1899.The panel is in very good condition and there is no apparent retouching under UV light. There is a minor surface scratch to the lower left corner, only visible under close inspection. The varnish appears to be slightly dirty with some yellowing. Otherwise this work is in very good original condition. The work is held in the artist’s unglazed original designed fluted panel frame with offset window, made in Japan (see catalogue note).
EDWARD LEAR (BRITISH 1812 - 1888) ON THE ROAD TO GALLE, CEYLON Watercolour, pencil and gum arabic, heightened with white Signed with monogram and dated '1876' (lower right') and inscribed and dated 'Road near Galle Decbr.1874' (lower left) 40 x 26cm (15½ x 10 in.) Provenance: Sale, Christie's, London, 20 March 1990, lot 97 Bill Thomson, London Sale, Christie's, London, Visions of India Including the Paul F. Walter Collection of Indian Photographs, 5 June 1996, lot 68 From an important collection in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, USALear went to India at the invitation of his friend, Thomas George Baring (1876-1904), later first Earl of Northbrook, who was then Viceroy of India (1872-1876). He spent the summer of 1872 in England and received so many commissions for his Indian trip that he knew it would be churlish not to go. After a false start in the autumn of 1872 he set out a second time the following year and reached Bombay on 22 November 1873. His first response to India was one of 'Violent and amazing delight at the wonderful variety of life and dress'. He felt 'nearly mad from sheer beauty and wonder of foliage! O new palms!!! O flowers!! O creatures!! O beasts!! - anything more overpoweringly amazing cannot be conceived!! Colours, and costumes, and myriadism of impossible picturesqueness!!!'. Lear travelled to Lucknow, Benares, Agra, Gwalior, Delhi, the Himalayas, Simla, Poona and Hyderabad. It was a demanding trip for someone of his age, he spent days in trains and gharries in oppressive, overwhelming tropical heat and freezing Himalayan winds. By November of 1874 when he arrived in Ceylon, he was absolutely exhausted but he still marvelled at the luscious foliage that had so struck him when he had first arrived in India. His trip had taken fifteen months in all and was the last and the longest trip of his life. Other versions of this work are in the collections of the National Galleries of Scotland and the Government Art Collection. Condition Report: The sheet is in good overall condition and the colours are strong and fresh. There is slight discolouration visible in the lighter area of the sky. The watercolour is fitted into conservation housing and could be hung without further attention. The watercolour was not taken out of the frame in the preparation of this report. Condition Report Disclaimer
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: TODI RAGINI INDIA, RAJASTHAN, PROBABLY AMBER, CIRCA 1750 gouache on paper heightened in gold, blue striped border, a richly detailed image depicting an exotic forest landscape with bountiful flora and fauna and monkeys, in the foreground near the water's edge, the main female figure is seated on a pink lotus throne holding a vina in her left hand and holding her right hand over a tame gazelle, flanked by a further gazelle and a female musician playing a tambour kneeling to the left, monkeys running through trees and along a palace roof in the background against a yellow sky, lotus flowers alongside a brook in the foreground, a blank yellow panel above the painting probably intended for text 26.3cm x 19.7cm Formerly, private French collection. For an illustration from the same series, entitled Gaudi Ragini, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, see L. Y. Leach, Indian Miniature Paintings and Drawings, Ohio, 1986, Fig. 61 and for an almost identical painting sold at Bonhams, see, Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art, 18 September 2013, lot 132. These two pages and ours share the same blue-striped borders and green luscious landscape with monkeys. Three pages from this series are in the San Diego Museum of Art (nos. 1990.8.851, 855, 856). Another page is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (M.71.1.42), see Rosenfield, The Arts of India and Nepal, Boston, 1966, p. 173.
A QAJAR GOLD-DAMASCENED AND ENGRAVED STEEL SHIELD PERSIA, 19TH CENTURY of typical form with four raised circular bosses, the surface profusely engraved with floral and vegetal motifs centred around an eight-pointed flowerhead, with a band of inscription-filled cartouches around the rim, probably comprising Persian verses 46.5cm. diameter For a very similar shield sold through these rooms, see Islamic and Indian Art, 11 December 2024, lot 38.
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: MADHUMADHAVI RAGINI INDIA, RAJASTHAN, AMBER, CIRCA 1700 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 31cm x 23.5cm Formerly, Private Collection, London. 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).
A MAMLUK ENGRAVED CANDLESTICK BASE EGYPT OR SYRIA, 14TH CENTURY of truncated conical form with flaring foot, a raised rib below the upper edge, engraved and decorated in silver and remains of polychrome enamel inlay, the body with inscriptions in thuluth script interspersed by roundels containing floral motifs, all on a ground of scrolling tendrils, inscribed in two areas outside the main decoration 12.5cm high; 24.5cm diameter The inscriptions, include: a repetition of the words ‘The high and the just’, a maker's inscription ‘The work of Hadi’, and; the name of the owner ‘The owner is Taqa bint Muhammad b. al-Hasan son of the Commander of the Faithful’.For a comparable candlestick base, see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, London, 12 November 2024, lot 66.
ORIGINAL PAINTINGS COMMISSIONED FOR A PRINTED POSTER ENTITLED 'THE LIFE STORY OF THE REVERED GANDHIJI' PUBLISHED BY HEMCHANDER BHARGAVA, DELHI BY LAXMILAL NANDLAL NATHDWARA, INDIA, CIRCA 1948 gouache on card, comprising 10 small-sized paintings, one signed by the artist, depicting the life of Gandhi, from a baby depicted in a Krishna-style presentation crib, to his early and later education dressed in a suit, his marriage, his time in South Africa, when he reached India, his change of dress, his peaceful marches, his speeches, his wisdom (10) 15.1cm x 15.5cm largest Bonhams, India in Books, Photography, Maps and Manuscripts, 13 October 2006, lot 429.Private UK Collection. Created at an important moment in history these 10 original paintings were commissioned by publishers Hemchander Bharagava & Co of Delhi to form part of a dramatic biographical poster. “Poojya Gandhiji ki Jivan Caritra” or “The Life Story of Revered Gandhiji”, leads the viewer through the important events of Ghandi’s life culminating in his assassination. The story, told through each piece of art, commences in the bottom left-hand corner and moves vertically up the left-hand side of the poster before traversing horizontally and then down the right-hand side. Leading the viewer through his education and his arrival in South Africa, the poster then charts Ghandi’s journey back to India where he engages with key domestic issues before formulating his campaign of non-violent protests. Whilst the latter part of the story focuses on Ghandi’s campaign for Britain to quit India the dominant image is of his assassination which is placed front and centre to directly engage the viewer.These paintings provide a rich visual biography which need to be considered against the dramatic political change of the period. In 1947 India was partitioned along religious lines to create the two independent states of India and Pakistan. This division displaced millions of people creating a refugee crisis, violence and large-scale loss of life. 6 months later Ghandi was shot dead in New Delhi on 30th January 1948. These events created turmoil and uncertainly in a country which had only just begun to realise its freedom. At a time when there was no television and radio was only just starting to make inroads, print makers took a lead in visual communication. As a result, these prints would have been highly prized, passed from hand to hand or displayed proudly in homes. It is also likely that they were affixed to walls, doors, or poster boards in public areas. They were meant for large scale communication but not designed to last. Gandhi figured prominently in these prints and whilst not a religious character he was often portrayed within the ranks of the divine depicted alongside Budda and Jesus. Artists also borrowed heavily from Catholic theology suggestingthat the dripping blood, as seen within this poster design, represents Ghandi’s absorption into the blood stream of the nation. Ghandi’s identity was thus inextricably linked to India and vice versa. Artists also sought to portray a safe future for India. Whilst little is known about the artist of these artworks, Laxmilal Nandlal from Nathdwara, undoubtedly was a classically trained artist who was favoured by the publishing company Hemchander Bhargava & Co., for he went on to create a similar style biographical poster of Nehru, and also painted Indian deities, such as Lord Shiva and Parvati.
A PICCHAVAI PAINTED IN GOLD LEAF DEPICTING KRISHNA PLAYING THE FLUTE TO THE GOPIS INDIA, RAJASTHAN, 19TH CENTURY of pointed-arch form, the brown satin ground painted in gold leaf depicting Krishna in the centre playing the flute, flanked by pairs of gopis holding fans, the border with a repeat design of nandi, backed, hoops on the upper edge 79cm x 91cm Christie's, Art & Textiles of the Islamic & Indian Worlds including works from the collection of the late Simon Digby, 7 October 2011, lot 416.
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM THE MAHABHARATA: THE SAGE MARKANDEYA'S VISION OF THE INFANT KRISHNA FLOATING ON A BANYAN LEAF INDIA, PUNJAB HILLS, KANGRA, CIRCA 1830 gouache and gold on paper, dark blue border, depicting a large banyan tree rising from the ocean with five leaves and its orange fruit, the infant Krishna is lying on one of the leaves joyfully sucking his toe whilst the sage Markandeya is dressed in white with his frail and aged body standing on a leaf holding a parasol and worshipping before the infant Krishna, mounted, glazed and framed sight size 20cm x 15.5cm Private UK collection. For comparison and further discussion about this emotive religious subject of Krishna floating in a cosmic ocean see: Philadelphia Museum of Art , accession no. 1955-11-1, and; Christie's , An Eye Enchanted: Indian Paintings from the Collection of Toby Falk, 27 October, 2023, lot 95.
VALLABHACHARYA DISCOVERING SRI NATHJI AT THE GOVARDHAN HILL INDIA, RAJASTHAN, KOTAH, CIRCA 1830 gouache on paper heightened in gold, depicting Sri nathji and Vallabhcharya with a green and gold halo embracing one another within a mountainous landscape, a group of sacred Nandi cows above them, two onlookers draped with jewellery to the left pointing out the scene, the empty white temple to the right, a row of male worshippers dressed in loincloths to the left, a row of noble worshippers to the right with offerings, a village landscape scene below, mounted, glazed and framed 33.9cm x 25.6cm This painting and the next lot depict the first encounter between Krishna, the cowherd god, and Vallabhacharya, the mystic who founded the Sri Nath-ji cult. In 1493, Vallabhacharya visited Mathura, Krishna's home and following this pilgrimage built a shrine at Mount Govardhan, in 1670 the shrine, being under threat from the Mughal ruler Alamgir (r. 1658-1707) was taken to Northwest to Rajasthan to Nathdwara, twenty five miles north of Udaipur.Dauj II (1797-1826), a priest and son of the priest Girdharji, stimulated life around the Nathdwara temple devoted to Sri Nathji. He built gardens and palaces with a school of painting. Mahararao Kishor Singh (r. 1819-1827) was a devout Vishnava devotee and Dauji II initiated the ruler into the devotion of Vallabha Sampradaya. Dauji II also gave the ruler refuge at Nathdwara in 1821 when he was exiled from his kingdom for three months by the British. There was a likely interaction between Nathdwara and Kotah during this period.For further discussion and comparisons see: S.C.Welch (ed.), J.K. Bautze, C.W. Bowen, N. Peabody and W.Taylor, Gods, Kings and Tigers, New York, 1997, pp. 184-201, and; J.Seyller (ed.) , M.C. Beach, C.Glynn, J.Mittal and A.Topsfield, Rajasthani Paintings in the Jagdish and Kamla Mittal Museum of Indian Art, Hyderabad, 2015, pp. 146-155, and; J. Williams, Kingdom of the Sun, Indian Court and Village Art from the princely state of Mewar, San Francisco, 2007, no. 54.
A PORTRAIT OF A PRINCE, PROBABLY DAN CHAND, PRINCE OF BILASPUR INDIA, PUNJAB HILLS, BILASPUR, CIRCA 1700 gouache on card heightened in gold, orange border with black margin line, depicting the prince facing right leaning on a sword, holding a rose, wearing a gold turban and transparent jama over striped pantaloons, a dagger tucked into his floral patka, unframed 22.1cm x 15.1cm Christie's, Art of the Islamic & Indian Worlds, 10 October 2014, lot 79.Private UK Collection. Prince Dan Chand was a brother to the Maharaja Bhim Chand (1667-1712) of Bilaspur and a crucial advisor to his brother during his reign. For further discussion and comparisons see, W.G. Archer, Paintings from the Punjab Hills, London, 1973, Vol. I, p. 224 and Vol. II, p. 177, no. 20 and San Diego Museum of Art, Accession Number 1990. 1154 from the collection of Edwin Binney, 3rd.
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAMAYANA SERIES: HANUMAN TAKES LEAVE OF SITA AND DESTROYS THE ASHOKA GROVE INDIA, PUNJAB HILLS, CHAMBA, CIRCA 1805 gouache and gold and silver on paper, narrow blue and wide red border, featuring a palace with a garden and lake in the foreground, variety of trees lying flat on the ground and lake having been destroyed by the various representations of hanuman, crowned monkey-like beings, stealing fruit from the trees, trying to woo a princess, a scene of worship in the upper right hand corner 27cm x 36.7cm Formerly in the collection of Dr Alma Latifi, CIE, OBE (1879-1959).Dr Latifi, an eminent civil servant, collected Indian works of art from the 1930s to the 1950s. He amassed a substantial collection of Indian paintings from which some paintings were loaned to the Royal Academy exhibition in London entitled, The Art of India and Pakistan, 1947-1948. For reference, see, The Ramayana of Vakmiki, translated by Hari Prasad Shastri, 1953-1959, Sundara Kanda, chapters 38-41.
A QAJAR UNDERGLAZE PAINTED POTTERY JAR DEPICTING COURT PLEASURES PERSIA, SIGNED BY 'USTAD SAFER ALI', 19TH CENTURY of squat pear-shape with short cylindrical neck, decorated in polychrome on a predominantly brown and blue ground with four large medallions containing figures in a landscape including a musician, maidens sampling wine, and a courtier sampling wine, the latter medallion with the artist's signature 32.8cm high, 21.8cm diameter For a large Qajar tile signed by the same artist, see Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 17 April 2007, lot 264.
AN INDIAN VULTURE INDIA, COMPANY SCHOOL, CALCUTTA OR BARRACKPORE, CIRCA 1803 gouache on paper, inscribed in ink to the top of the sheet in Persian: vibyati kwik, which translates as “Foreign vulture or provincial vulture”, mounted, glazed and framed 47cm x 29.5cm George Annesley, 9th Viscount Valentia (1769-1844).Collection of Stuart Cary Welch, New England, 1994. A mysterious and macabre creature, the vulture has long been a point of interest for bird enthusiasts, as well as art enthusiasts. With the vulture’s association with death and their presence in multiple continents, they are an interesting subject matter that can be found in the art of many cultures. The birds whose features have led us to classify them as vultures, inhabit Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America. New World and Old World vultures have slight differences including wing length, the length of the hind claws and the structure of the nostrils but were nevertheless assumed to be related. Today, New World vultures are currently considered to be a sister-group to the large family which includes hawks, eagles and Old-World vultures. It is an important reminder that, just because different animal groups are adapted to the same ecological niche and therefore look the same, it does not mean that they are necessarily related; this is called convergent evolution. The vulture pictured here is something of an enigma. The large wings with relatively short primary flight feathers which do not extend beyond the tip of the tail, and its relatively long hind toe suggests that it should be an Old-World vulture. The fact that it is the subject of an Indian painting one would expect it to be an Asian species. But it is not. The closest Old-World species is the African Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus, but their “hood” consists of pale brown down and not black feathers. The black colouration and red head are reminiscent of an American Turkey Vulture or another of the genus Cathartes, but the nostril shape and wing markings do not fit these either. The bill is unhooked, the fleshy cere on the bill is behind, and not surrounding the nostril, and, although the head is coloured red, it gives every indication of being covered in feathers which surround the bill and eye and completely mask the ear opening. Neither are there any slender-billed vulture species with anything resembling a wing bar, though it is possible that this marking is intended to represent a line of shiny iridescence. This is a bird which does not exist, possibly painted from a description or recollection of a vulture once seen. It is an amalgamation of different species, possibly inspired by famous paintings of vultures, such as those of the Mughal artist Mansur in the celebrated Kevorkian Album. It was not drawn from direct observation of a vulture but is, nevertheless, a beautiful and interesting painting. This painting comes from an important series of natural history studies made for George Annesley, 2nd Earl of Mountnorris and Viscount Valentina, when he made a private tour of India from 1802-1806. He was a keen amateur natural historian and visited many botanists and zoologists during his trip, chronicling his travels in three volumes published in 1809 entitled Voyages and Travels to India, Ceylon and the Red Sea, Abyssinia and Egypt in 1802-06. In Calcutta there were a number of English residents who shared his passion in natural history, and Annesley’s visits to local aviaries and menageries inspired him to commission many natural history drawings, mostly of birds, several of which have subsequently found their way into other collections. Annesley gifted two paintings to Lord Wellesley when he stayed with him in 1803 and saw the menagerie in Barrackpore. These are now in the British Library in London and published in Mildred Archer, Natural History Drawings in the India Office Library, 1962, p. 96. There is another painting in the Chester Beaty Library published by Linda York Leach, Mughal and other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beaty Library, 1995, vol. ii, pp. 761-762.
A VIEW OF A CITY LAKESIDE INDIA, RAJASTHAN, JAIPUR, 19TH CENTURY gouache on paper, yellow and blue border with white and black rules, depicting the walls of a fortress and a pavilion to the left with steps leading down to a pond, a seated elderly gentleman in European dress being attended by his companion and a lady servant holding a bowl of fruit, two cats sitting at their feet, a few gentleman walking about in European clothes with their walking sticks, a whole cityscape beyond the fortress walls with minaret-style buildings, unframed 25.3cm x 35.2cm Formerly, the collection of Marie-Christine David (Paris, 1946-2021).Marie-Christine David was a recognised and leading specialist in Islamic and Indian Art in France.
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: DESAKH RAGINI INDIA, RAJASTHAN, KOTAH, CIRCA 1760 gouache on paper, red border, 4 lines of text in nagari script against a yellow ground above, depicting five gymnasts performing acrobatics around a central pole, two of the gymnasts balancing on the pole, including a female acrobat dressed in blue trousers at the top of a pole, whilst three in the foreground are showing off their strength in various poses, on a green ground with a line of plantain trees at top 40.1cm x 26cm Private UK collection. This liveliest of ragamala illustrations brings together the physical strength of the five gymnasts using the vibrant colours of Rajasthani painting. Figures performing upside down on a central pole and defying gravity was a popular act at village fairs around India. In this particular painting you can almost hear the gasps of the onlookers. For further discussion and another illustration of this subject see: E. and R.L. Waldschmidt, Miniatures of Musical Inspiration Part II, Ragamala - Pictures from Northern India and the Deccan, Berlin, 1975, and; C. Glynn, R. Skelton and A. Dallapiccola, Ragamala, Paintings from India from the Claudio Moscatelli Collection, London, 2011, no.10.For another illustration from the same series, entitled Asavari Ragini sold at Christie's, see Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Rugs and Carpets, 24 October 2024, lot 161. This painting and our painting share the same bright colours, composition and size.
AN INEBRIATED PRINCESS BEING LED BY TWO FEMALE ATTENDANTS TO A BEDCHAMBER ON A PALACE TERRACE INDIA, PROVINCIAL MUGHAL, LATE 18TH CENTURY gouache heightened in gold on paper, gold floral decorated border with red and black rules, depicting a lady adorned in jewellery with her arm stretched outwards towards a tray of drinks being held by a servant, her duenna or chambermaid pulling her away with the help of a smaller female servant, all on a palace terrace under a moonlit sky with trees in the distance, unframed 26.3cm x 18.9cm For another illustration of this very same scene attributed to Bundi, circa 1760, sold at Bonhams, see Islamic and Indian Art, 5 July 2006, lot 232.
Large handmade folk or outsider art woven and painted prison basket from the Anamosa State Penitentiary, Iowa, ca. 1930s. Coated wire wrap and rattan welt.These baskets were purportedly a short-lived art form made exclusively by Native American inmates and sold at the prison store. The 'warp' or frame of the basket is wire while the weft is a fiber rattan woven horizontally. They were then painted with colorful motifs, sometimes with traditional Plains Indian symbols. Well-preserved examples such as the lot offered here retain leather decoration around the neck.Height: 22 in x diameter: 12 in. Condition: Wear consistent with age and use including heavy wear to the pigment throughout. No major breaks or losses to the caning. The leather is worn.
Ca. AD 200 - 300.A grey schist statue of Buddha standing atop an integral rectangular pedestal. The figure's left leg is slightly extended with a bent knee, and he is draped in a kasaya robe rendered with finely sculpted waves and folds. The serene face features downcast eyes, arched brows, generous eyelids, an aquiline nose, and full lips, framed by a nimbus behind the head. A circular topknot rests above the tightly-bound coiffure, with a small urna positioned below.For similar see: Christie's, Indian and southeastern Asian Art, Live Auction 2578, Lot. 520. Size: 1250mm x 440mm; Weight: +50kg.Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.
Ca. AD 200 - 300.A grey schist statue of Buddha standing with his left leg slightly extended and a bent knee, adorned in a kasaya robe that cascades with finely sculpted waves and folds. The serene countenance features downcast eyes, arched brows, generous eyelids, an aquiline nose, and full lips, radiating a sense of calm. Above, a circular topknot rests atop his tightly bound coiffure, while below is a small urna.For similar see: Christie's, Indian and southeastern Asian Art, Live Auction 2578, Lots 520, 507. Size: 1100mm x 420mm; Weight: +50kg.Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.This piece is accompanied by a historical report from Alessandro Neri, an international Cultural Heritage expert based in Florence, Italy.
* IAN DAVID COOK RI RSW RGI (SCOTTISH b. 1950), DRAWING ROOM WITH SEATED NUDE oil on canvas, signedunframedoverall size 51cm x 76cmNote: Studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1968 to 1975 during which time he won the Hutchieson Drawing Prize and completed a year of Post Graduate study in Fine Art. He was then awarded the Cargill Travelling Scholarship, a major travelling bursary that enabled him to develop research and works from Spanish and North African sources. As a recipient of a travel bursary from the Scottish Arts Council in 1985 he travelled to Central Africa as a means of furthering his two-dimensional and three-dimensional studies and produced many artworks sourced from indigenous cultures. The urge to continue such study has never abated, and in 1993, after a sojourn in the Indian reservations of America’s North Western States, he created an immense series of works that, with the endorsement of Glasgow City Council, filled the entire exhibition areas of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and was upheld in critical acclaim. In the last four years he has made regular trips to Central and South America and Mexico in pursuit of Pre Columbian symbolism and contemporary Latin American culture, adopting historical and tribal elements with the intention of incorporating them in his work. Aside from these gestures to ethnic genre he regularly produces a range of figurative and surrealist works using diverse subjects. In 2000 he won the Winsor and Newton Award at the RI Show and in 2005 he was awarded the RI Award for the most outstanding contribution to the Exhibition at the Mall Gallery in London. In 2011 he won the Fellowship of the Glasgow Art Club at the RGI Exhibition, and in 2015 he was awarded the House for an Art Lover Award at the RSW exhibition. His work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy, Sunday Times Watercolour Exhibition, London, The Portrait Society, RGI and RSW shows in the UK, many British and continental galleries, as well as public and private collections worldwide inclusive of Trainload Freight, The TSB, The BBC, The Kinsey Institute, Indiana State University, and The American Equestrian Association.
* IAN DAVID COOK RI RSW (SCOTTISH b. 1950), AT THE PIANO gouache on paper, signed mounted, framed and under glassimage size 24cm x 26cm, overall size 40cm x 41cmNote: Studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1968 to 1975 during which time he won the Hutchieson Drawing Prize and completed a year of Post Graduate study in Fine Art. He was then awarded the Cargill Travelling Scholarship, a major travelling bursary that enabled him to develop research and works from Spanish and North African sources. As a recipient of a travel bursary from the Scottish Arts Council in 1985 he travelled to Central Africa as a means of furthering his two-dimensional and three-dimensional studies and produced many artworks sourced from indigenous cultures. The urge to continue such study has never abated, and in 1993, after a sojourn in the Indian reservations of America’s North Western States, he created an immense series of works that, with the endorsement of Glasgow City Council, filled the entire exhibition areas of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and was upheld in critical acclaim. In the last four years he has made regular trips to Central and South America and Mexico in pursuit of Pre Columbian symbolism and contemporary Latin American culture, adopting historical and tribal elements with the intention of incorporating them in his work. Aside from these gestures to ethnic genre he regularly produces a range of figurative and surrealist works using diverse subjects. In 2000 he won the Winsor and Newton Award at the RI Show and in 2005 he was awarded the RI Award for the most outstanding contribution to the Exhibition at the Mall Gallery in London. In 2011 he won the Fellowship of the Glasgow Art Club at the RGI Exhibition, and in 2015 he was awarded the House for an Art Lover Award at the RSW exhibition. His work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy, Sunday Times Watercolour Exhibition, London, The Portrait Society, RGI and RSW shows in the UK, many British and continental galleries, as well as public and private collections worldwide inclusive of Trainload Freight, The TSB, The BBC, The Kinsey Institute, Indiana State University, and The American Equestrian Association.
A FRAGMENTARY JAVANESE BRONZE FIGURE OF PARVATI OR BHU-DEVII, INDONESIA, 9TH CENTURY standing erect, wearing earrings, crown and tall headdress, multiple belts and sarong around her waist, mounted, 24cm highProvenance: Property of Geoffrey Saba, London. Acquired Spink and Son, London, 1978Published and Exhibited: Indian and South-East Asian Art, Spink and Son, London, 24 May-7 June 1978, p.66-67, pl.161; offered Sotheby's New York, 21 March 2012, lot 247. Feet and lower arms missing, surface slightly pitted in places, general wear and weathering, loop attachment for aureole at the back
KRISHNAJI HOWLAJI ARA (INDIAN 1914-1985) Untitled (Woman) oil on canvas signed 'ARA' lower right approx. 75 x 60cm. Provenance: Private UK collection. Anil Relia collection. Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda. Kanti Rana collection, Baroda. Acquired by the above directly from the artist. Ara was born in the small town of Bolarum near Hyderabad but ran away to Bombay at the age of seven. As a teenager he was imprisoned for taking part in Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha movement. Although he had no formal training as an artist he began painting watercolours from a young age. Whilst making a living cleaning cars he met the art critic Rudy von Leyden and later Walter Langhammer who encouraged him to pursue a career as an artist. Ara became an important figure in the development of modern art in India and was a founder member of the Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG) that was formed on the eve of Indian Independence. He had a modernist approach to his work, capturing the experiences and observations of everyday life. His favoured subjects were still lifes and depictions of the human form within a domestic setting. As Yashodhara Dalmia explains Ara ‘was not involved in the anatomy of the figure nor with forms of realism. He was seeking a means of extending his language in colour, form, and composition…’ (Y. Dalmia, The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressives, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2001, p. 139). The painting would appear to have considerable accumulated surface dirt overall. There is a restored split to the board evident uner UV light and on reverse to upper left. Executed on canvas board. Two small rectangular pieces attached to the reverse of the board, probably to for suspension.
A PAGE FROM A POLIER ALBUM, NORTHERN INDIA, FIRST HALF 17TH CENTURY AND LUCKNOW, CIRCA 1775 in opaque colours and gold on paper, comprising a Mughal portrait of a standing courtier wearing diaphanous robes, holding a hawk in one hand and its prey in the other, within a mount decorated with elaborate floral sprays in tones of blue within narrower bands of silver and gilt foliate motifs on a blue ground with ink ruled borders, inscribed with the number '4' to the lower left of the central image, the reverse with a similar border enclosing a calligraphic exercise in refined shikasta script within a cusped border in gold on pale blue paper, the mount with exuberant floral sprays in yellow, red and black within bands of gold foliate motifs reserved on a blue ground edged with ruled borders in black ink, miniature 11.8 x 5.8cm., folio 39.5 x 28.8cm. PROVENANCE:Private English collection, acquired London in the 1980s.Willam Beckford, after 1802.Colonel Antoine Polier, (d.1795).Colonel Antoine-Louis-Henri Polier de Bottens (1741-1795), spent thirty years in Indian before his return in 1788. A Swiss engineer, architect and entrepreneur, in his time in India he worked both for the British and Indian rulers. His was empathetic to both cultures and whilst engaging in the promotion of the interests of the East India Company at the court of Lucknow, he began the production of a series of albums, muraqqa, very much in a Mughal tradition. Though the majority of the albums are now in the museums of Berlin, after the sale of Beckford, some were dispersed. The format of each page is of a painting with a page of calligraphy recto, both enclosed within borders typically with a recognisably exuberant decoration. Many of the paintings were commissioned by Polier, often after Mughal originals, from the court artists of Lucknow, notably Mihr Chand with whom Polier had a particularly close working relationship. Occasionally, as with this page, Polier also managed to obtain works from the Mughal workshops from an earlier period. The Miniature The reminiscence of the figure to portraits of the Emperor Jahangir may come to mind but other figures from the Mughal court also bear a strong similarity. A depiction of Mirza Muzaffar, circa 1610-20, a grandson of Shah Ismail of Persia and governor of Qandahar, has a similar looking figure with diaphanous dress and holding a falcon. It is housed in an album of Mughal portraits in the Royal Collection, RCIN 1005038.s. Another portrait, this time of Khan ‘Alam, Jahangir’s falconer and his ambassador to Iran, takes a similar stance though in different dress, but with the sparrow hawk and a smaller bird, the hawk’s prey, in his left hand (Harvard Art Museums, object number 1999.293). These various similarities prevent, at this point, a firm identification of the subject. The use of the purplish ground colour is less common on portraits of this period as is the inclusion of floral motifs in gold dispersed around the background. Parallels do exits though such as around the figure of Inayat Khan, circa 1610, formerly in the collection of Tom Maschler and sold at Christie’s, New York, 19th June 2019, lot 325. The Calligraphy The distinctive form of shikasta can be attributed to Mir Muhammad Husayn ‘Ata Khan, who specifically provided examples of calligraphy for Polier’s albums (Kwiatkowski 2025, p.287). ‘Ata Khan was the son of Muhammad Baqir, who was a tughra-navis, or writer of the calligraphic signatures of rulers. ‘Ata Khan had mastery of a number of different forms of script including both Persian and Indian forms of shikasta. There is some suggestion that ‘Ata Khan’s grandfather had established a role in dealing with the British and this may have paved the way for ‘Ata Khan’s familiarity with English and British customs leading to his appointment in the court of Shuja’ al-Dawla. This, in turn, is thought to have led to his introduction to Polier after the latter was sent to Awadh by Warren Hastings in 1773. Within a brief period, a mutual trust seems to have been built and ‘Ata Khan quickly came to work for Polier, though by 1775 this employment came to an end following court intrigues. It is to this period that the calligraphic exercise on this page is most likely to date from. The Iconography As Kwiatkowski indicates (ibid., p.298), although there may have been no didactic purpose in the production of the albums of Polier, there were clearly allusions of which a contemporary audience would have been aware. One of those, relevant to this page, is that of viziership, service and loyalty to a ruler with the depiction of a falcon. An established euphemism for a vizier was that of ‘royal falcon’ (shah-baz). A number of references to this occur in texts within Polier’s album including a legend taken from the Anvar-I Suhayli, in which a royal falcon meets its death at the hands of the King despite its attempts to protect him. This was probably copied by ‘Ata Khan and between him and Polier there is the suggestion that they shared a sense of service of being in a class of court attendants whose sage advice was not always valued by their rulers. In this context, it is more encouraging to see the identity of the subject as the Emperor. It is interesting that both British and Indian ministers and officials might have seen a common fate shared between them. Border Although the border immediately suggests an origin from a Polier Album, it is worth noting that across the albums ‘none of the marginal designs are perfectly identical to one another’ (Imbert 2025, 3.1.2, ill.9.7). However, closely related groups can be formed and amongst these, those employing a form of bouquet, can be found in at least five albums. Though well used in the albums, this bouquet motif may not have its origins in Mughal tradition but might, as is suggested elsewhere, have be derived from designs taken from European ceramics. Polier was himself energetically engaged in the trade of European goods.
RAMGOPAL VIJAYVARGIYA (INDIAN 1905-2003) Untitled (2)watercolour on paper25.5 x 16.5cm; 25.5 x 15.5cmeach signed lower right in HindiRamgopal Vijayvargiya joined the Maharaja school of Art and Craft in Jaipur, studying watercolour wash under S. N. Dey, a disciple of Abanindranath Tagore. Vijayvargiya is best known for paintings with Ajanta-like forms. He drew inspiration from Kalidasa's plays, the Ramayana and the Mahabharate, the medieval poet Bihari's Satsai and the Persian poetry of Omar Khayyam and Hafiz.Not examined out of frame. In generally very good order. Both with some dotted discolouration.
An Indian hardwood garden bench The reversible back articulating on a hinge with Art Nouveau-style ceramic tiles set within the wood.180cm wide x 60cm deep x 90cm highQty: 1Some damage notable particularly to the side panels. Weathering throughout commensurate with age and use. Some signs of old restoration to the back.
Etching on paper titled Grand Arbre 1st State by Indian artist Kaiko Moti. This atmospheric black and white landscape features a solitary tree beneath a luminous sky, evoking a serene and moody atmosphere. Kaiko Moti was an Indian artist celebrated for his mastery of etching and printmaking techniques. His work blends elements of Eastern sensibility with Western modernist abstraction, and his refined techniques in viscosity printing significantly influenced contemporary printmaking. Moti's works are held in major collections worldwide, including the British Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. The work is signed by the artist in red ink and hand-numbered 19/100. Certificate of Authenticity included, confirming the edition of 100, printed at Atelier Capelle. Beautifully framed with museum-quality rag board backing for preservation. Artist: Kaiko Moti (Indian 1921-1989) Issued: 1977Dimensions: 35"L x 28.50"HCountry of Origin: IndiaCondition: Age related wear.
Arup Das (1924 - 2004) Mixed Media on Paper 7 x 11 inches Signed Lower Centre Year - 1964 Arup Das, a pioneering figure in post-Independence Indian art, forged a distinctive path as both a muralist and figurative painter. Born in West Bengal, Das emerged in the 1940s against the backdrop of a newly awakened nation, bringing with him a deep sensitivity to the human condition shaped by the socio-political upheavals of his time. A graduate of the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Calcutta, his work consistently placed the human figure at its core, rendered not in isolation, but as part of a larger social and historical continuum. Equally adept in oils, watercolours, and mixed media, Das developed a visual language that blurred realism with symbolism. Through national and international exhibitions, prestigious awards including the Lalit Kala Akademi’s National Award, and inclusion in major institutional collections, Das’s legacy endures as one of the most articulate voices in modern Indian art. This work features earthy tones, layered textures, and two ghostly human forms that Das's preoccupation with man as a social and historical being.
A silver candle box, Josiah Williams & Co, London 1908; pair of silver Art Nouveau style napkin rings; pair of scroll design napkin rings, vacant cartouches; other napkin rings; glass sugar shaker with silver lid; egg cup; silver-rimmed glass fruit bowl; Scandanavian white metal spoon, marked 830 S; Indian white metal salt and pepperette; and other white metal / silver-plated wares; total weight of weighable silver 6.4oz.Qty: 1 box
An Indian dark green jade gem-set chape, 17-18th century, the top carved in openwork with lotus, each side carved in shallow relief with flowers issuing from the curled tip, embellished with gold flowerheads inset with turquoise and rose-quartz, the stone of speckled greenish-black tone, 6m highLiterature:S. Howard Hansford, Jade, Essence of Hills and Streams, London, 1969, no. G9, p. 207 Provenance: Private Collection Christie's, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 9th November 2004, lot 111Please note this lot is to be sold without reserve. Condition Report: in good condition with no looses or damage but overall wear commensurate with age A photocopy of the original Christies purchase receipt for this lot s available upon request Condition Report Disclaimer
A gold bangle composed of kirtimukha faces, South Indian, 19th century, culminating in two facing makara heads, the eyes inlaid with rubies, holding a round ball in their mouths with a motif of two entwined birds on both sides and a flower on the top inlaid with a ruby, 8.6cm diameter (max), 87 gramsProvenance:Private Collection Sotheby's, Indian & Southeast Asian Works of Art, 19th September 2008, New York, lot 260 Acquired New York, February 1988 Condition Report: Some colour on the gold, possibly from pigments and tiny cracks in the gold on the makara heads and the stones possibly replacementsuntested but likely to be 18ct gold Condition Report Disclaimer
A gold coloured bangle formed from a series of articulated kirtimukha faces, South India, 19th century, culminating in two facing makara heads, the eyes inlaid with rubies, holding a round ball in their mouths with a motif of facing birds on both sides and a flower on the top inlaid with a ruby, 7.6cm diameter (max), 59 gramsProvenance:Private Collection Sotheby's, Indian & Southeast Asian Works of Art, 19th September 2008, New York, lot 259 Acquired New York, February 1988 Condition Report: Some black discoloration to the gold in places and general surface wear and the rubies possibly replacements and repair to inside of one link but unlikely to be filled as links are hollow although one cannot be certain regarding the heads untested but likely to be 18ct gold Condition Report Disclaimer
Group of books related to Southeast Asia including topics such as: Hindu art, Indian mythology, Buddhist scrolls, architecture, and more.Provenance: From the Distinguished Personal Collection of Dr. Robert Jacobsen.(Shipping dimensions) height: 10 in x width: 30 in x depth: 12 in.Condition: Wear throughout as expected from age and use. Books not checked for notes, soiling, or losses. Books are sold as-is.
19th c. Indian Rajasthan or Punjabi school miniature opaque watercolor and gold on paper miniature painting depicting a portrait of Raja Umed Singh holding a rose, ca. 1810.Loan: Minneapolis Institute of Art, L95.148.6, 2002-2003.Provenance: From the Distinguished Personal Collection of Dr. Robert Jacobsen.Unframed; height: 13 in x width: 10 1/4 in. Matted; height: 22 in x width: 18 in.Condition: Some skimming along the margins. Some creases and wear throughout. Overall the colors are bold and bright. The work is hinged along the upper edge of the verso to a non-acidic mat. The work is not framed.

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