Important Notice

BIKANER, CIRCA 1710
Gouache on paper heightened with gold
Image: 7.5 x 6.25 in (19.6 x 12.8 cm)
Folio: 10.5 x 7.5 in (26.7 x 19.4 cm)

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE
The Motichand Khajanchi Collection

This depiction from the Rasikapriya shows a confidante conveying a message to a nayika seated on a terrace. In the background above the pavilion, the nayika is seen parting ways with her nayak, Krishna, probably after an argument.

The present lot is from a phase of the Bikaner school which was greatly indebted to the Mughal school of painting. The vibrant reds and yellows traditional of early Rajasthani schools are largely missing here, seen only in the confidante's clothing. The cool green and blue is a clear influence from the Mughal palette, characteristic of the late Jahangir and Shah Jahan periods, particularly evident in portraiture. The pointed crown of Krishna is also a Mughal feature. The fine line and meticulous, high level of sophistication in treating the pictorial elements is another feature that distinguishes the Bikaner school.

This painting can be attributed to the reign of Maharaja Anoop Singh, who was a general in the army of Aurangzeb and famous for his encounters at Bijapur in 1675, and Adoni in 1678. Because of this engagement with the Deccan, paintings from Bikaner also have a strong Deccani influence, as seen in the flower beds on the terrace in the foreground.

BIKANER, CIRCA 1710
Gouache on paper heightened with gold
Image: 7.5 x 6.25 in (19.6 x 12.8 cm)
Folio: 10.5 x 7.5 in (26.7 x 19.4 cm)

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE
The Motichand Khajanchi Collection

This depiction from the Rasikapriya shows a confidante conveying a message to a nayika seated on a terrace. In the background above the pavilion, the nayika is seen parting ways with her nayak, Krishna, probably after an argument.

The present lot is from a phase of the Bikaner school which was greatly indebted to the Mughal school of painting. The vibrant reds and yellows traditional of early Rajasthani schools are largely missing here, seen only in the confidante's clothing. The cool green and blue is a clear influence from the Mughal palette, characteristic of the late Jahangir and Shah Jahan periods, particularly evident in portraiture. The pointed crown of Krishna is also a Mughal feature. The fine line and meticulous, high level of sophistication in treating the pictorial elements is another feature that distinguishes the Bikaner school.

This painting can be attributed to the reign of Maharaja Anoop Singh, who was a general in the army of Aurangzeb and famous for his encounters at Bijapur in 1675, and Adoni in 1678. Because of this engagement with the Deccan, paintings from Bikaner also have a strong Deccani influence, as seen in the flower beds on the terrace in the foreground.