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Miniatures from the Indian courts

Indian Painting

Small paintings from the courts of Rajasthan and the Punjab hills, made between about 1520 and 1870. Rama and Sita in the forest, Krishna among the wrestlers, a maharana on a grey stallion, a lady at her mirror, a game of pachisi on a terrace. Nainsukh, Chokha, Ghasi and the Stipple Master worked in flat opaque colour and gold, and framed almost every one of these in a red or blue border.

As a puzzle

Friendly, and brighter than anything else here. The colour is laid down flat and unmixed, so a piece of scarlet border or saffron sky belongs somewhere obvious, and the painted borders hand you the outside edge early. The figures carry all the fine detail, so leave them for last. Two thirds of these come out wider than they are tall.

A good size here: 60–250 pieces.

21 pictures, pick one to build

Maharana Sangram Singh Riding a Prize Stallion Stipple Master, ca. 1712 Rama and Lakshmana as Boys Assist the Sage Vishvamitra: Folio from a dispersed Ramayana series Nainsukh, ca. 1780 The Demon Hiranyaksha Departs the Demon Palace: Folio from a Bhagavata Purana Series Unknown, ca. 1740 Maharana Sarup Singh Inspects a Prize Stallion Tara, 1845–46 The Timid Bride Unknown, ca. 1800 Equestrian Portrait Unknown, late 19th–early 20th century Hanuman Revives Rama and Lakshmana with Medicinal Herbs: Illustrated folio from a dispersed Ramayana series Nainsukh, ca. 1790 Equestrian Portrait of Maharana Bhim Singh Ghasi, ca. 1825 The Monkey King Vali's Funeral Pyre: Illustrated folio from a dispersed Ramayana series Nainsukh, ca. 1780 Maharaja Baghji with Courtiers and His Infant Son Ala Bagas, ca. 1750 Radha Crosses a River to Interview a Hindu Sage Chokha, ca. 1820 Krishna and Balarama Fight the Evil King Kamsa’s Wrestlers: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Unknown, ca. 1650 Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana at the Hermitage of Bharadvaja: Illustrated folio from a dispersed Ramayana series Unknown, ca. 1780 Lady at Her Toilette with Attendant on a Terrace Unknown, ca. 1800 Bangali Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) Unknown, 1709 Pleasures of the Hunt Unknown, ca. 1800 Kalki Avatar, the Future Incarnation of Vishnu: Page from a Dispersed Manuscript Unknown, ca. 1760–70 Great Indian Fruit Bat Bhawani Das, ca. 1777–82 Maharaja Sovan Singh playing pachisi Ambav, ca. 1868 Nanda and Vasudeva: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu) Master of the Dispersed Bhagavata Purana, ca. 1520–30 Krishna and the Kshatriya Maidens Proceed to Dvaraka: page from a Bhagavata Purana series Sa Nana, ca. 1520–30