Rare Paintings
 7 Nov 2010 Rare Paintings
The town and palace, Boondee - 1860

Photograph from an album of 80 albumen prints taken by Eugene Clutterbuck Impey. Bundi, near Mewar in Rajasthan, is shielded by the jagged hills of the Vindhya range. It was the capital of the Hara Chauhan clan of Rajputs (who took the title of 'Rao'), and w... Read More
 6 Nov 2010 Rare Paintings
Village on the river bank near Hurrodham, Bengal - 10 September 1788

Water-colour painting of a village on the river bank near Hurrodham (Bengal) by Thomas (1749-1840) and William (1769-1837) Daniell, 10 September 1788. Inscribed on the front of the mount in pencil is: 'Near Harradum. Hurdum';... Read More
 5 Nov 2010 Rare Paintings
Illuminations and fireworks round the lake at Constantia - 1814

Watercolour of illuminations at Fatehgarh from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Agra to Barrackpore Vol. X' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-Gene... Read More
 5 Nov 2010 Rare Paintings
Fireworks display on a bright moonlit night outside the Agna Mahal, part of the Nawab's Palace beside the river at Murshidabad - 1795

Watercolour of a fireworks display on a bright moonlit night outside the Agna Mahal in Murshidabad, by an anonymous artist working in the Murshidabad style, c. ... Read More
 5 Nov 2010 Rare Paintings
The grounds of the Palace of Farhat Baksh in Lucknow lit by innumerable coloured lamps - 1814

Watercolour of Farhat Baksh in Lucknow from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Cawnpore to Mohumdy Vol. IV' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of... Read More
 1 Nov 2010 Rare Paintings
Mausoleum of Akbar, Sikandra - 1830

Watercolour of the Mausoleum of Akbar in Sikandra, by a Delhi or Agra artist, c.1830. mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Akbar (r.1556-1605) at Sikandra. Dated inscriptions show that the tomb was completed by Akbar's son Jahangir (r.1605-27) in 1614. It is set in a... Read More
 29 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
Bombay - The Esplanade and Colaba in the distance (from the top of Watson's Hotel) - March 1870.

Water-colour painting of Mumbai (Bombay) by John Frederick Lester (1825-1915), March 1870. This view shows the British military encampment in the foreground on the left, with the lighthouse, St Joh... Read More
 27 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
A view of Badrinath, snow-covered mountain in the background, three yaks and two boys in the foreground. Garwhal, Uttar Pradesh - 29 May 1808.

Watercolour by Hyder Young Hearsey (1782-1840) of a view of Badarinath in Garwhal, Uttar Pradesh, dated 29th May 1808. This view, showing the snow-cove... Read More
 27 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
The village of Barhaiti with a temple in the foreground, Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh - 21 April 1808.

Water-colour painting of Barhaiti in Garhwal with a temple in the foreground by Hyder Young Hearsey (1782-1840), 21 April 1808. Inscribed on the front in ink is:' 2'; on front of the original mount... Read More
 26 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
Lustration of the Infant Jina Mahavira
Detail from a Kalpasutra manuscript folio
India, Gujarat, late 14th century
Opaque watercolor on paper; 3 1/2 x 10 15/16 in. (8.9 x 27.8 cm)

This painting typifies the finest achievement of the late-fourteenth-century western Indian style. It is a mast... Read More
 25 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
Shivala Ghat, Benares, with the Daniells' budgerow and a morpunkhi on the river. Original sketch dated 17 or 22 November 1789.

Water-colour painting of Shivala Ghat at Benares (now known as Varanasi) in Uttar Pradesh with the Daniells' budgerow and a 'morpunkhi' on the river by Thomas (1749-18... Read More
 23 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
Old Choultry at Ennore near Madras - 1786

Water-colour drawing from the MacKenzie Collection of an old 'choultry' at Ennur, near Madras in Tamil Nadu, dated 1786. Inscribed on front in ink: 'Old Choultry at Ennore near Madras in 1786.'
This watercolour depicts a ruined travellers' rest house,... Read More
 22 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
Temple of Bhimsen, Bhatgaon, Nepal - 1853

Watercolour of the Temple of Bhimsen at Bhaktapur in Nepal, by Henry Ambrose Oldfield (1822-1871), dated c.1853. This image is inscribed on the back in ink: 'No. 10. Temple of Bhimsun Bhatgaon'.
Bhaktapur, the 'City of Devotees' is 11 km east of Kathm... Read More
 20 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
Ajanta - Interior of Vihara No 17 - 1839.

This is plate 6 in James Fergusson's 'Illustrations of the Rock Cut Temples of India' by Thomas Colman Dibdin. The wonderful paintings that decorate the Ajanta caves are unique in Indian art and provide an illustration of early Buddhist traditions in t... Read More
 17 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
The spire and dome of a temple at Benares - 1814

Watercolour of a temple in Varanasi from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Benares to Nazibghur Vol. III' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-General of Bengal and ... Read More
 14 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
State Elephant, Baroda - 1879

Oil painting on paper by Marianne North dated 1879 of a state elephant at Baroda.
Marianne North visited India in 1877-79 and completed over 200 paintings whilst there. In her autobiography, 'Recollections of a happy life' of 1892, she wrote, "At Baroda at sunris... Read More
 13 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
RAJA RAVI VARMA (April 29, 1848 - October 2, 1906) was an Indian painter from the princely state of Travancore who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. His paintings are considered to be among the best examples of the fusion of Indian tr... Read More
 13 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
The Case of the Fake Ravi Varmas.
Live Mint 11 Oct. 2010

The boy with no name stands to stiff attention. He wears a crimson turban, his left hand holds a sword in its scabbard, and his neck and chest are freighted with jewels. His eyes, clear but dead, betray no emotion as they look directly at ... Read More
 13 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
A view of the Himalayas from the top of the Judge's House at Moradabad - 1814.

Watercolour of the Himalayas from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Mohumdy to Gheen Vol. V' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-Gener... Read More
 9 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
The facade of an 18th century building at Benares - 1814.

Watercolour of a building facade in Varanasi from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Benares to Nazibghur Vol. III' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-Gene... Read More
 8 Oct 2010 Rare Paintings
An Indigo Factory in Bengal - 1863

Watercolour of an indigo factory in Bengal by William Simpson dated 1863. The drawing is inscribed on the front in ink: 'Indigo factory. Wm Simpson, 1863.' This image is the original drawing for plate 38 of Simpson's, 'India, ancient and modern,' published in... Read More