Opaque watercolor with gold embellishments on layered paper
India, 18th century
Presumably Dekkan school
Illustration of a Kakubha Ragini from a Ragamala series
Recto with the depiction of a noblewoman and her attendant in a landscape with peacocks
Verso a framed Nasta'liq inscription in black ink
Dimensions: 26.8 x 17.9 cm

This miniature is taken from a so-called Ragamala series. Ragamala paintings are pictorial and poetic interpretations of Indian musical modes calledragas. The latter are depicted in a figurative manner together with their wives, theraginis, and their children the raga-putras. These illustrations, gathered into manuscripts, are among the most popular subjects for miniature painting in northern India during the 17th and 18th centuries.



Condition:

The painting is in good condition with some staining to the lower area and abrasions to the sky. Partly with small minor paint losses. There are marginal blemishes and holes to the lower left corner (hidden by the mat). The sheet is mounted with tape at four points under a mat. The sheet measures 26.8 x 17.9 cm. The mat measures 37 x 31 cm.



Dekkan School

The Dekkan school is a style of Indian miniature painting, which developed in the South of India in the 16th century. The style is composed of a number of local traditions from the Dekkan region, with Islamic influences from Iran, Persia and Turkey. The artistry is on par with Mughal art. Dekkan miniatures often show elaborate compositions with intense colors, giving an overall romantic impression.

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