Central Asia, India, Mughal period, ca. 18th century CE. A fine miniature illuminated manuscript page depicting several hand-painted scenes on handmade paper honoring royalty - portraits of a Mughal ruler and his beloved wife in roundels in the uppermost register, next a procession honoring the female, and finally a procession honoring the male - with calligraphic script bordering the scenes, in the margins, and on the verso. The Mughals, Islamic dynasty rulers of northern India between 1526 and 1857, were known for their great patronage of the arts. Artists created intricate paintings and illuminated manuscripts depicting scenes of daily life, adventurous tales, mythological and royalty scenes like these. The compositions are beautifully balanced and finely painted in rich tones. Mat included. Size: page measures 10.25" L x 6.25" W (26 cm x 15.9 cm); 14" L x 11" W (35.6 cm x 27.9 cm) with mat
Mughal painting refers to a type of miniature painting - either serving as book illustrations or created as single work. The term miniature suggests a tiny scale; however, it actually indicates a style of watercolor work similar to early European book illustrations that used the red pigment minia. Some Indian miniatures are in fact quite large. The Mughal style stems from Persian miniature painting, though with Indian Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist influences, evolving largely throughout the Mughal Empire (16th to 19th centuries), and eventually spreading to other Indian courts - Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh - flourishing during the reigns of Akbar, Shah Jahan, and Jahangir. The tradition continues today with Mughal-style miniature paintings still being created, though by a relatively small number of artists in Rajasthan.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection acquired at Australian auction
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#132056
Condition
A crease to upper margin and minute losses to edges of page. Inactive insect holes in several areas of the page as shown. Handmade paper shows normal discoloration/stains commensurate with age.