Indo-Persian Empire, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. A special pair of Indo-Persian paintings delineated with fine details as well as a brilliant color palette. Contextualized by calligraphic script on handmade paper. The first depicts an amorous royal couple accompanied by two attendants serving them a meal beneath a canopy on the palace grounds. The second features a sole figure hunting two white birds with a calligraphic inscription on the upper orange border. Both are mounted behind glass in attractive frames. The finish of the larger frame contains 25% to 45% silver. Size (hunter painting): 10" L x 6.875" W (25.4 cm x 17.5 cm) Size (frame): 25.125" L x 18.875" W (63.8 cm x 47.9 cm)

Miniature painting emerged in Persian art during the 13th century. Following the Mongol conquests, the genre displayed strong Chinese influence, and the tradition reached its peak during the 15th and 16th centuries. Persian miniature painting influenced other Islamic miniature traditions, including the Ottoman miniature created in Turkey as well as the Mughal miniature of India. Interestingly, Persian art - although under the influence of Islam - never completely forbade the inclusion of the human figure. Furthermore, the depiction of figures - oftentimes in groups - is a common practice in the miniature tradition. Scholars believe that this was because the miniature was used as a private form of visual culture. These images were usually kept in a book or an album and only shown to a select audience. For this reason, artists could be more free when creating miniatures than when creating wall paintings which were viewed by a wider audience. The Koran (Qur'an) and other religious texts were not illustrated in this way as a rule; however, other works of literature and histories at times included religious scenes.

Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection

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Both paintings are mounted behind glass in attractive frames and have not been examined outside the frames.