**Originally Listed At $1350**

South Asia, India, Mughal Empire , ca. 19th Century CE. A large reverse glass painting of a Mughal prince sitting in an elegant chair while contemplating the beauty of a white flower in his right hand and holding a sword in his left. He sits on a balustraded balcony, his feet resting upon an exquisite Persian style carpet, with a small white puppy at his feet - the scene presented beneath the serene azure skies. The prince is dressed in royal robes and a fancy brimmed hat, and bedecked in a triple strand beaded pectoral, a luxurious belt, knee-high stockings, and black shoes. His profile visage is quite peaceful with the visible dark brown eye framed by a thick brow, a naturalistic nose, and a well-manicured mustache. His name is written in Gujarathi at the top of the composition. A well executed reverse-glass painting mounted in a custom gold-tone frame with coordinating moldings and a silky fabric covered matte. Size: 19.5" L x 13.5" W (49.5 cm x 34.3 cm); 28" L x 22" W (71.1 cm x 55.9 cm) in frame

The inscription at the top on the red banner is written in the Gujarathi language (Gujarath is adjacent to Rajasthan), and it says "Dwark no Raja" meaning "King of Dwaraka." Dwaraka is a city, historical or legendary, that traditionally has been associated with Lord Krishna. Hence, this portrait is one of the rulers of that area.

Reverse glass painting was popular in India among the royal courts from the late 18th to mid 19th century. This artform arrived in India via global trade established by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and English during the 16th and 17th centuries. Among the coveted imported items were Chinese reverse glass paintings which came to India in the late 18th century. Soon thereafter Indian artists learned the techniques of reverse glass painting. Royalty in India collected reverse glass paintings, and as land owning merchants grew more prosperous in the 19th century, they collected reverse glass paintings as well. Interestingly, the artists who created these paintings were chitrakara (craftspeople) who generally belonged to marginalized castes.

The technique required immense skill. Artists began by placing a transparent sheet of glass over a drawing, then drew the outlines and details. Next, metallic foils and sequins were sometimes added. Then, tempera paint was used to apply larger swaths of color, and shading was implemented. Artists needed to employ their memory as they created each piece, because they covered various elements of the painting sequentially. So artists needed to possess remarkable skills to create these precious works.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection

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#123623

This reverse-glass painting is mounted in a custom gold tone wood frame with coordinating golden moldings and a silky fabric covered matte. Artwork has not been examined outside the frame but appears to be in very nice condition save normal age wear and a few areas of discoloration. Frame has a few scuffs and stains to the finish but is otherwise very nice and fit with suspension wire.