Important Notice

Mewar School, Early 18th Century CE
Opaque watercolour on paper
10.2 x 8.5 in (25.9 x 21.6 cm)

REGISTERED ANTIQUITY-NON-EXPORTABLE

Provenance: Property of a Gentleman, Mumbai


Mewar painting sprung from the Hindu principality of Mewar in Rajasthan. These paintings stand out for their bright colours. The painting on offer is from a well-known series from Mewar, and is widely seen in collections across the world. Enclosed in a typical red border, a text in Devnagari runs across the yellow frame at the top. As seen in Mewar paintings, the work is split into various frames, and each narrative appears to take place simultaneously.

The lower part is adeptly separated from the upper using a deep red for the background. The main figure is seen seated at the bottom right on a pedestal, and appears to be a king. He hands over a necklace of pearls to one of his courtiers, perhaps rewarding him for a service. To the left, a Brahman is seated on the portico, just outside a chamber. In the upper part of the painting are two men engrossed in deep conversation. One is in a chamber, seen with a spear, and the man at the top left appears to be looking for something within the crevices of the mountains. The mountains are painted in a beautiful mauve, a shade often seen in such paintings.

Overall, the painting is well-preserved, with most of the colours still intact.

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