Demons Fighting Over an Animal Limb - Late 17th Century

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 5/1/2013 3:13:00 PM

'In this painting, set in a fantastic landscape with rocks, trees and a cityscape in the distance, two fearsome demons are seen quarreling over the leg of an animal. In the middle ground, three women dressed in typical Rajput fashion and carrying water pots, are oblivious to the demons in their midst. Demonic of this bizarreness are best known in Central Asian manuscript painting, and indeed this is probably their origin, transmitted to India via Persian models. The painter reveals h(...)'

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Khambhavati Ragini, Page from a Dispersed Ragamala Series (Garland of Musical Modes) - Rajasthan, Bikaner, c1675

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 5/1/2013 3:06:00 PM

'Artist: Ebrahim, Son of RuknuddinMedium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paperSource: metmuseum.org'

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Panchama Ragini, Page from a Dispersed Ragamala Series (Garland of Musical Modes) - Rajasthan, Bikaner, c1640

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 5/1/2013 2:36:00 PM

'Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paperSource: metmuseum.org'

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Mahadevi, the Great Goddess - Bikaner, Rajasthan c1725

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 5/1/2013 2:27:00 PM

'Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and silver on paperIn this twenty-armed form, Mahadevi holds an array of weapons affiliating her with all the male gods, an iconography associated with Durga, the natural opponent of the buffalo demon Mahisha. Here, she is Devi as the protector deity of the ruling household of Bikaner, Rajasthan; the red third eye and the crescent moon in her hair affirm her affiliation with Shiva. Devi appears to be dancing but is actually assuming a warrior’s c(...)'

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Eklavya Practicing Archery by Y. G. Srimati - c1945-46

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 5/1/2013 6:43:00 AM

'Medium: Watercolor with graphite underdrawingSource: metmuseum.org'

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Parashurama, (Rama with the Battle Axe) the Sixth Avatar of Vishnu by Y. G. Srimati - 1946

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 5/1/2013 6:31:00 AM

'Medium: Watercolor with graphite underdrawing, applied by brush, on medium-weight wove paperSource: metmuseum.org'

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Saraswati, Goddess of Learning and Music, Playing a Vina by Y. G. Srimati - c1947-48

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 5/1/2013 6:07:00 AM

'Medium: Watercolor, graphite underdrawingSource: metmuseum.org'

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Hamida Banu Begum, wife of Mughal Emperor Humayun. Anglo-Indian school at Lucknow - circa late 19th century

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 4/24/2013 7:04:00 AM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour on warqa, laid down on later cardThe inscription translates "Hamida Banu Begum, zauja (wife) Shah Jahan Badshah (king)". Collectors and dealers are usually pleased to find an old inscription on a painting, assuming it to be correct, but this is often - like here - not the case, in this instance having a husband still to be born! Identification of portraits Mughal Emperors' wives are notoriously difficult to identify due to the artists never having see(...)'

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Portrait of Thakur Umrao Singh ji, attributed to the artist Rahim ji - Bikaner, early 19th century

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 4/24/2013 6:45:00 AM

'Medium: Gouache on wasliIn a hybrid style typical of Bikaner at the time after large scale migration of artists from Jaipur who by and large continued to paint in the Jaipuri manner.Rajasthan's thikanas (feudal states within a kingdom) were granted with the title thakur (equivalent to a lord) by the maharaja in recognition for loyalty and service.Source: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk'

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Preparation for the Nuth Uterwai ceremony at a courtesan's kotha. Awadh - Late 18th Century

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 4/24/2013 6:23:00 AM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour with gold on wasli, laid down on later thin cardOn the terrace of a kotha (where courtesans entertain clients) pavilion, the central figure of a naika (approximating a brothel madam) smokes a huqqa. Around her tawaifs (courtesans) sing as part of a Nuth Uterwai ceremony in which the reclining young virginal woman wearing a flower garland will be deflowered and hence initiated into her new profession.The folio was at some time after its production insc(...)'

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Colour Plates from the Book Nine Ideal Indian Women by Maharanee Sunity Devee of Cooch Behar - 1919

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 4/14/2013 4:32:00 PM

'Stories of the nine great women from Indian Mythologies written by Maharani Sunity Devi. The nine great women of this book are Sati, Sunity, Sakuntala, Savitri, Shaibya, Sita, Promila, Damayanti and Uttara. Her Highness, Maharani Suniti Devi ( or Sunity Devi ) CIE (1864-1932) was the Maharani of Princely state of Koch Bihar, India.In 1887, her husband, Maharja Nipendra Narayan was awarded GCIE and she was awarded CIE. Suniti Devi became the first Indian women to be awarded CIE.(...)'

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Various Filmindia Magazine Covers - from 1946 to 1958

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 3/27/2013 3:41:00 PM

' Jhamela - Geeta Bali, Bhagwan February 1952January 1955 Suvarna Sundari - September 1958 Insaniyat - September 1955Amar Prem - Madhubala, Raj Kapoor April 1948Gold or Sona - June 1946Barsaat - Nargis, Raj Kapoor, November 1948 Awara - Nargis, Raj Kapoor, October 1950Tarand - Madhubala, Dilip Kumar, TarandSource: bollymusings.tumblr.com/'

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Folio from a Nayaka Nayika bheda. A loving couple, partially undresseed drinking wine on a palace terrace - Hyderabad late 18th Century

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 12/29/2012 6:37:00 PM

'Nayika Nayaka bheda refers to the classifications of romantic moods and situations experienced by lovers which inspired Indian poets to write long poems such as the Rasikapriya of Keshav Das (circa 1591); these in turn provided inspiration to the artists of Rajput painting workshops.Medium: Opaque watercolour with gold on wasliSource: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk'

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Nobleman receives wine from a courtesan. Jodhpur, c1760-70

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 12/29/2012 6:29:00 PM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour on wasliSource: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk'

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Durga battles the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Mughal style - Delhi c1800

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 12/29/2012 5:38:00 PM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour with gold on wasliSource: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk'

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Revellers intoxicated and incapable during a visit to a bhang wallah. Jaipur - c1860

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 12/29/2012 1:44:00 PM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour with gold on wasliThis miniature painting provides a rare example of social satire in comparison to the norm of deities, religious and/or mythological scenes, portraits of rulers and courtiers. At an open-fronted stall a bhang wallah with female assistant sieving leaf from the mixture prepares the hallucinogenic drink made from cannabis. One intoxicated reveller is so high as to be unaware of the dog licking his face - a particularly repulsive sight t(...)'

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Folio from an Amaru Shataka manuscript. In a palace pavilion a lovelorn lady and her confidante converse - Malwa, c1650

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 12/29/2012 1:37:00 PM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour on wasliSource: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk'

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Lady with huqqa held by child, a deer between them - Jaipur, c1800

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 12/29/2012 1:14:00 PM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour with gold on wasliSource: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk'

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A syce (groom) stands with an officer's horse from the 8th Madras Light Cavalry, a background with bare rocky landscape and fort at Trichinoply - c1840

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 12/29/2012 1:08:00 PM

'Medium: Opaque water colour on paperIn 1838 the 8th Madras Light Cavalry regiment was called to Calcutta and this probably explains the painting's being in the manner of Shaikh Muhammad Amir, the leading exponent of the Anglo-Indian style there. Common to some of Shaikh Muhammad Amir's productions are the distinctively curved shadows cast by horse and groom and similar silhouette-like tufts and blades of grass bordering lower edge. However this painting is more freely painted t(...)'

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Krishna Milking Cow. Nathdwara, Rajasthan - c1840

Author : Piyal Kundu      Blog : Old Indian Arts      Date : 10/15/2012 3:37:00 PM

'Medium: Opaque watercolour with gold on wasliSource: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk'

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