MEWAR SCHOOL, RAJASTHAN, NORTHERN INDIA

AN ENTHRONED GANESHA WITH ATTENDANTS
OPAQUE WATERCOLOUR AND GOLD ON PAPER
LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY

AN EXCEPTIONALLY VIBRANT RAJASTHANI MINIATURE PAINTING DEPICTING LORD GANESHA ENTHRONED WITH ATTENDANTS, EXECUTED IN OPAQUE WATERCOLOUR AND GOLD ON PAPER. DATING TO THE LATE 19TH OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY, THE COMPOSITION PRESENTS GANESHA, THE REVERED DEITY OF WISDOM, PROSPERITY AND THE REMOVER OF OBSTACLES, SEATED MAJESTICALLY UPON A RAISED COURTLY THRONE. RENDERED IN A STRIKING VERMILION HUE, THE FOUR-ARMED DEITY IS SUMPTUOUSLY ADORNED WITH A FINELY DETAILED TIERED CROWN (MUKUT), ELONGATED PEARL GARLANDS AND ELABORATE JEWELLERY. IN HIS LOWER LEFT HAND, HE HOLDS A BOWL CONTAINING MODAKS, THE RITUAL SWEETS ASSOCIATED WITH GANESHA AND SYMBOLIC OF WISDOM, SPIRITUAL FULFILMENT AND PROSPERITY. THE RICHLY COLOURED PALETTE, DELICATE GOLD HIGHLIGHTS AND COURTLY SETTING ARE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE DECORATIVE AND DEVOTIONAL VOCABULARY OF RAJASTHANI MINIATURE PAINTING.