A portrait of Raja Dalip Singh of Guler performing puja, school of Pandit Seu, India, Punjab hills, Guler, circa 1740

Auction Closed

April 26, 01:36 PM GMT

Estimate

60,000 - 80,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

gouache heightened with gold on paper, dark blue border, verso with devanagari inscription

painting: 24.5 by 16.5cm.

leaf: 27.2 by 19.6cm.

V. Sharma, Kangra ki citramkan parampara, Chamba, 2010, p.41.
H.V. Dehejia and V. Sharma, Pahari Paintings of an Ancient Romance: The Love Story of Usha and Anirudda, New Delhi, 2011, p.11.
M.S. Randhawa, 'Guler, the birthplace of Kangra art', Marg, vol.VI, no.4, 1953, pp.30-42, fig.C.
K. Khandalavala, Pahari Miniature Painting, Bombay, 1958, no.102.
L.V. Habighorst, Blumen - Bäume - Göttergärten in indischen Miniaturen, Koblenz, 2011, fig.72.
F. Galloway, Indian Paintings from the collection of Ludwig Habighorst, London, 2018, no.6.
V. Sharma, Paintings in the Kangra Valley, New Delhi, 2020, p.50, pl.23.

The current lot is accompanied by a pigment analysis test carried out by Art Discovery, London, that confirms the materials used are consistent with the dating.

This exquisite portrait represents the pinnacle of the early Guler portrait style developed by the master painter Pandit Seu. Pandit Seu was the father of Manaku and Nainsukh. This family of artists were responsible for advancing the Pahari school of painting, moving from the use of two-dimensional figures against flat plains of colour towards a more naturalistic approach. This development was in part influenced by the late Mughal style of painting associated with the reign of Muhammad Shah.

Although there are no ascribed works by Pandit Seu there are a number of portraits credited to him by Goswamy and Fischer (Goswamy and Fischer 1992, nos.91-94). These examples like the current painting demonstrate a similar awareness of realistic portraiture. Here Raja Dalip Singh is depicted sitting upright with a fixed gaze looking over the gold puja accoutrements perfectly placed around him. He is dressed simply in a pale yellow jama and gold embroidered white dupatta with a saffron cloth bag draped over his right hand. In his left hand he holds a blossom that he intends to offer to the image of Balakrishna. His skin is gently wrinkled around the features of his face, possibly indicative of his advancing years. The delicate rendering of the garuda finial on the ghanta bell, the wisps of smoke emanating from the peacock incense burner and the dappled trunk and fronds of the amla tree demonstrates the artist's great sensitivity in the depiction of naturalistic detail. Another portrait of Raja Dalip Singh of Guler performing puja is published in Khandavala 1956, no.102 and Randhawa 1953, fig.C. And an earlier portrait of a Raja worshipping Krishna attributed to a Bilaspur Mughal-trained artist working at Mandi (Jagdish and Kamla Mittal Collection 76.235 Seyller and Mittal 2014, p.108, no.38).) displays a similar composition and refined attention to detail.