Rare Paintings
 27 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A Kangra school depiction of the 'Churning of the Ocean of Milk' with Vishnu seated on a pillar encircled by a giant snake pulled by crowds of devas and asuras.

Source: Bonhams Read More
 27 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A folio from a Bhagavata Purana series: The Churning of the Ocean, or Vishnu as Kurma Avatar

Attributed to the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler, circa 1780-90

Gouache and gold on paper, pink border with dark blue and gold margins, cover paper with numeral (37) in nagari scri... Read More
 27 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
Samudra Manthan scene with Vishnu as Kūrma; single-page painting mounted on an album folio. Central blue figure, Kurma, sits cross-legged on Mount Meru holding various items in each of his four hands. On the left stand the two devas, one a four-armed blue being with a spear and the other a four-a... Read More
 27 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
The Churning of the Ocean of Milk

Album leaf painting of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Vishnu appears here at the base of the cosmic churning pole as the turtle Kūrma and also seated on top of Mount Mandara. The gods (to left) pull on the rope made of the serpent Vasuki, while demons pull o... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
Opaque watercolour painting on European paper of a Muslim and his wife at worship. The mosque is the only drawing of a building in this album. It has two minarets, arched halls and niches in the walls. Opposite the mosque, an aged man with a flowing beard in green clothes kneels before a bookstan... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
Watercolour painting on paper of a mendicant, possibly a Muslim dervish. The man is standing upright and holds a walking stick in his right hand. In his left hand he holds a large begging bowl. He wears a patchwork tunic which appears to have been repaired and a matching bag over his left shoulde... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
Aurangzab's red sandstone mosque built on the site of an earlier temple of Keshava Deva - 1815

Watercolour of Aurangzeb's Idgah at Mathura from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Tughlikabad to Secundra Vol. VIII' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. M... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A panorama in 12 folds showing the procession of the Emperor Bahadur Shah to celebrate the feast of the 'Id - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A panorama in 12 folds showing the procession of the Emperor Bahadur Shah to celebrate the feast of the 'Id - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A panorama in 12 folds showing the procession of the Emperor Bahadur Shah to celebrate the feast of the 'Id - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A panorama in 12 folds showing the procession of the Emperor Bahadur Shah to celebrate the feast of the 'Id - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A panorama in 12 folds showing the procession of the Emperor Bahadur Shah to celebrate the feast of the 'Id - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as... Read More
 25 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A panorama in 12 folds showing the procession of the Emperor Bahadur Shah to celebrate the feast of the Eid - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as... Read More
 23 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
The Shrine of Nizamuddin Auliya (top right), Mosque behind the shrine of Nizammuddin (bottom right) - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as other c... Read More
 23 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
The majlis of Shaykh al-Mashayikh Nizam al-Din Awliya on a terrace at night.
Hyderabad, circa 1830

Gouache on paper, the names of the other khawajas, Hazrats and sheikhs written in nasta'liq script on painted surface, floral border with nasta'liq inscription at top.

Nizam al-Din Awliya (d. AH 7... Read More
 23 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A prince seated on a terrace holding a sarpech, with attendants standing behind.
Hyderabad, late 18th Century

Gouache and gold on paper, floral border, panel in upper border with inscription Aristu Jah Bahadur in nasta'liq script.

The figure is perhaps Ghulam Sayyid Khan, titled Aristu Jah (178... Read More
 22 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
The tomb of the Prophet Muhammad at the holy city of Medina, commissioned by Asaf Jah VII (reg. 1911-1948), Mir Usman Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad.

Probably Hyderabad, India, dated AH 1362/AD 1943

Gouache on glass, with Arabic inscription above identifying the Holy tomb as that of the Prophet M... Read More
 22 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
A calligraphic leaf with elaborate floral decoration, signed by Taj al-Din, a secretary employed in the protocol section of the Nizam of Hyderabad.

Hyderabad, early 20th Century

Persian manuscript and watercolour on paper, the stylised name of 'Ali in the centre surrounded by a floral border, s... Read More
 21 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
Portrait of Emperor Jahangir Riding an Elephant
First half of the 18th century
India, Mughal Dynasty (1526-1756)

Source: The Cleveland Museum of Art Read More
 20 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
An elephant fight on a hillside, mahouts astride the two charging beasts, others rushing forward with firebrands, two platoons of soldiers watching from either side
Mughal, circa 1760

Gouache on paper, mounted on an album page with floral borders, verso a calligraphic exercise in shikasteh scri... Read More
 19 Sep 2015 Rare Paintings
Dust Storm Coming On, near Jeypore, Rajpootana - 1863
William Simpson, 1823–1899, British

Watercolor and gouache over graphite on moderately thick, moderately textured, beige wove paper.

Source: Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection Read More