Rare Paintings
 30 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Sri Rama Vanquishing the Sea - Varuna the Lord of ocean, pacifying Sri Rama, angered at the intransigence of the sea to give way to enter Lanka.
Oil painting on canvas by Raja Ravi Varma.
At the Sri Jayachama Rajendra Art Gallery, Jaganmohan Palace, Mysore, Karnataka. Read More
 30 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
The demi-god vulture Jatayu is struck down by the demon Ravana, as Jatayu attempted to intercede in the demon's kidnapping of Sita.
By Raja Ravi Varma.

Raja Ravi Varma (April 29, 1848 - October 2, 1906) was an Indian painter from the princely state of Travancore who achieved recognition for h... Read More
 30 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Rama in Durbar - The coronation of Shree Ramah after his conquest over Ravana - 1801

Pen and ink drawing depicting the coronation of Rama after his defeat of Ravana, from the Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple in Madurai, from an 'Album of 51 drawings (57 folios) of buildings, sculpture and paintin... Read More
 29 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Sufis in ecstasy : Sufis are dancing and collapsing before six Shaikhs who sit in a semi-circle on a floral carpet, each dressed in a jama beneath a Persian style coat with long sleeves, an opaque watercolour.
By Muhammad Nadir al-Samarqandi, 1650-55.

Source : British Library Read More
 28 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Dervishes Dancing before a Group of Muslim Divines
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, ca. 1760
India, Deccan region
Edwin Binney 3rd Collection

The small Persian inscription at the top of the painting identifies the scene: “Ecstatic Majlis of the Shaikhs of India”. A majlis is a nocturnal... Read More
 25 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
The Great Pagoda, Tanjore -1798

Plate 24 from the second set of Thomas and William Daniell's 'Oriental Scenery'. The Brihadishvara Temple of Thanjavur was patronised by Rajaraja I of the Chola dynasty around AD 1000-10 and is one of the greatest architectural achievements of South India. The t... Read More
 25 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
North View of the Great Pagoda and Tank at Tanjore'. Coloured aquatint by J. Wells after a drawing by Capt. Trapaud - 1788.

Coloured aquatint by J. Wells after a drawing by Capt. Trapaud, of the Brihadishvara Temple and tank at Thanjore, dated 1788.
The great Brihadishvara Temple represents t... Read More
 24 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Portrait of Shuja-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, after 1772
India, Faizabad or Lucknow
Edwin Binney 3rd Collection

This wealthy and powerful Nawab, lord or governor in the Urdu language, was from 1753 until 1775 a de facto independent ruler of the region known... Read More
 21 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Encampment at Ghertope, Tibet; snows in the background, two tents, goats and two yaks in the middle distance. Three musicians seated in the foreground - 21 July 1812.

Watercolour by Hyder Young Hearsey (1782-1840) of an encampment at Gartok in Tibet, now in China, dated 21st July 1812. This vi... Read More
 19 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Shrine of the 1st Celestial Buddha. Vairochana on the East side of the base of the Temple of Adi Buddha, Sambhunath - April 1854.

Watercolour of the shrine of the 1st Celestial Buddha, Vairochana, at Swayambhunath in Nepal, by Henry Ambrose Oldfield (1822-1871), dated April 1854. This image is... Read More
 18 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Moti Jhil, 'The Pearl Lake,' near Murshidabad - 1795.

Watercolour of the Moti Jhil, 'The Pearl Lake,' near Mushidabad, by an anonymous artist working in the Murshidabad style, c. 1790-1800. Inscribed on the back in ink and pencil: 'Bird's Eye View of Mootijeel'.
Murshidabad is situated on the... Read More
 18 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Asif ud-Daulah, by John Zoffany, c.1785-90

"A PORTRAIT OF THE NAWAB OF OUDH, ASAF-UD-DAULA, LUCKNOW, INDIA, CIRCA 1785-90; watercolour and gouache on card, with a seated figure in relaxed pose, dressed in white with a jewelled turban, necklaces and bazubands, his waist band supporting a fine r... Read More
 18 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
The City of Murshidabad (Bengal) with the Banqueting Hall of the Nawab's old Palace seen from the river - 1814.

Watercolour painting of Murshidabad in West Bengal by Robert Smith (1787-1873), c. 1814-1815. Inscribed on the mount in pencil is: 'Nawab's House at the City of Moorsedavad'.
Murshi... Read More
 18 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
A Nawab Holding Court within a Pavilion, beyond an Avenue of Retainers Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, ca. 1765
India, Murshidabad
Edwin Binney 3rd Collection

As a result of declining patronage for the arts in the imperial Mughal court at Delhi, many artists found new support from regio... Read More
 16 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Raja Balewant Singh Sopura, Rao Moti Lalji Vakil, and Major MacPherson
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 1870
India, Gwalior
Edwin Binney 3rd Collection

Two Indian nobles finalize negotiations with an officer of the British East India Company. Although they are seated on English chairs, ... Read More
 16 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Two European Officers with a dog exploring the interior of the ruined Sun Temple, Konarak - 1812

Watercolour of two European officers with a dog exploring the interior of the ruined Sun Temple at Konarak in Orissa, by William George Stephen, dated 1812. Inscribed on the front, in watercolour: ... Read More
 15 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
View from the River Ganges of the Burning Ghats, Benares - 14 December 1873.

Water-colour painting of the burning ghats on the River Ganges at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh by Edward Lear (1812-1888), probably 14 December 1873. The painting is signed with the monogram: 'E.L.'

The river banks at... Read More
 13 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
The Mountain of Ellora - 1803

Plate 2 of 'Hindoo Excavations in the Mountain of Ellora near Aurangabad,' engraved by Thomas Daniell after the drawings of his deceased friend James Wales, which Daniell regarded as the sixth set of his 'Oriental Scenery.' This and two plates on either side form ... Read More
 12 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Mecca and Medina

The annual hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, has involved Muslims from all round the world for over a thousand years. This prayer book contains two miniature paintings of the holy cities of Mecca (where the black Ka'bah is clearly visible) and Medina.
More at the BL website :
ht... Read More
 12 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
The Holy Shrine of Mecca, from a 17th-century pilgrim book.

Painting from a 17th-century manuscript of 'Futuh al-Haramayn', a poetical description by Muhvi Lari of the Holy Places and the rites of pilgrimage. The painting shows the Ka'aba, the cube-shaped building at the heart of the mosque at... Read More
 9 Sep 2010 Rare Paintings
Asoka’s Temple - Called Chillundeo in the centre of Patun - 1856

Watercolour of Asoka’s Temple at Lalitpur (Patan) in Nepal, by Henry Ambrose Oldfield (1822-1871), c. 1850-1863. The image is inscribed on the reverse: 'Asoka's Temple - called Chillundeo - in the centre of Patun. vol. 2, p.216-... Read More