A Raja and His Courtiers Playing Chaupar
Guler or Basohli, circa 1720-1750
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper
Image: 9 1/4 x 6 1/2 (23.5 x 16.5 cm.)
Folio: 10 1/2 x 7 3/4 (26.7 x 19.7 cm.)

Provenance:
Collection of R. Hale, California, acquired by the family in the 1960s.

Vishnu on a Lotus
Jammu, Basohli, circa 1720
Opaque watercolor heightened gold on paper
6 1/2 x 4 3/4 in. (16.5 x 12.1 cm.)

Vishnu is the main Hindu god, revered as the savior of the universe. Often shown as one of his 10 avatars, or forms he assumes to rescue humanity, the most popular being Varaha (boar), Narasimha (Half-Lion) and Krishna, the cowherd.

A powerful image of Vishnu seated on a blooming lotus that emerges from a small pond at bottom. Shown seated cross legged he bears his attributes: mace, solar disc, conch and a lotus stalk. An example of early Pahari painting, this work has beetle wing cases affixed to various areas of the composition.

Illustration to the Bhagavata Purana:
The Liberation of Nalakuvara and Manigriva
Attributed to Manaku
Basohli, circa 1760-1765
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on prepared paper
Image: 13 1/2 x 9 1/4 inches (35 x 23.5 cm.)

Provenance:
The Collection of the late Brendan Garry (d. 16th September 2011).
Siva Swaminathan (d. 26th March 2014).

Inscribed in Gurumukhi:
Leaf 35 on top of verso
Inscribed in Sanskrit: 10th Chapter, 10th book, leaf 32 in center of verso;
Bhagavata, 10th chapter, 10th book, skand on bottom of verso.

The narrative that this painting illustrates comes from the 10th book of the Bhagavata Purana, with Krishna’s habit for mischief contributing itself to the scene. After being caught repeatedly trying to steal butter by his foster mother Yasodha, she tied him to a wooden mortar to keep him from trouble. Many years prior to this, two yakshas Nalakuvara and Manigriva, sons of Kubera, were cursed for their pride to be bound in the form of two arjuna trees. Through his omniscience, Krishna is aware that the arjuna trees contain the souls of these yakshas, so he carries the mortar on his back and wedges it between the trees, using his great strength to uproot them, the two brothers emerging from the fallen timber. These figures are shown crowned in the center of the painting, offering praise to Krishna to express their gratitude.

The Bhagavata Purana that this work hails from dates to 1760 – 1765, and is commonly known as the “Large Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana,” or the “Fifth Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana.” This series is known for its use of broad landscape with few figures, exemplary of a transitional Basohli style, and each painting in the series has an identifying inscription on the reverse in gurmukhi and nagari scripts. The leafs have since been dispersed throughout the world, some of which can now be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Archer Collection (see W.G. Archer, Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills, London, 1973; Visions of Courtly India, London and New York, 1976, no. 8, p. 15; and W.G. Archer and Edwin Binney 3rd, Rajput Miniatures from the Collection of Edwin Binney 3rd, Portland 1968, nos. 55a and 55b, pp.74-5 for other paintings).

Although debated, this painting was likely executed by Manaku, older brother of Nainsukh, even if he was not responsible for completing the entire series.  Manaku has been named as the illustrating artist for a Gita Govinda series completed in the 1730s, as well as the Small Guler Bhagavata Purana completed between 1740 and 1750.  Similarities between works in both of these earlier series to the 1760’s Bhagavata Purana indicate that Manaku had a part in completing multiple pieces from the later series.

Compare the yakshas in the present work to “The Sage Kardama Renounces the World,” from the Small Guler Bhagavata Purana in the collection of the Lahore Museum (see B. N. Goswamy, Manaku of Guler, New Delhi, 2017, p. 405, no. B35); the same rendering of facial hair and ornate jewelry nod toward the claim that Manaku was the author of both. In addition, realistic detail is ascribed to the trees across Manaku’s known oeuvre, replicated in the arjuna trees shown here. Some scholars argue that this later Bhagavata Purana was illustrated by Fattu, son of Manaku, but it is likely that he only completed some of the works in the series. One last thing to note is that these series are typically completed in chronological order, following the progression of the text, meaning that the present example would have been executed earlier than others within the series, making it more plausible that the hand of Manaku was responsible for this painting.

An Illustration to the Ramayana: Rama and Lakshmana
Attributed to Pandit Seu, Basohli, circa 1730
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper
Image: 8 1/4 x 12 1/4 in. (20.1 x 31.1 cm.)
Folio: 8 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. (21.6 x 31.8 cm.)

Provenance:
Collection of R. Hale, California, acquired by the family in the 1960s.

The present painting is attributed to the famous, yet elusive artist, Pandit Seu. The honorific title ‘Pandit’ probably denotes that the family was originally of the Brahamanical order. While it is speculated that he lived from 1680-1740, it is rare to find any dated or signed works by his hand, resulting in a small number of paintings attributed to him.

Illustration to the Rasamanjari of Bhanu Dutta: The Intoxicated Courtesan
Attributed to Devidasa, Basohli, circa 1695
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold, silver and beetle wing cases on paper
8 1/4 x 11 1/2 in. (21 x 29.2 cm.)

Provenance:
Doris Wiener, New York, before 1981.
Bonham’s, New York, September 11, 2012, lot 83.
Private American Collection.

Shah Jahan at a Jarokha Window
Mankot or Nurpur, mid-18th century
Gouache heightened with gold on paper
Image: 8 x 5 ½ in. (20.3 x 14 cm.)
Folio: 9 x 6 in. (22.9 x 15.2 cm.)

Published:
Pal, Pratapaditya, Romance of the Taj Mahal (Los Angeles County Museum of Art: 1989), p. 236-234, no. 254.

Emperor Shah Jahan is best known for his commissioning the grand tomb of the Taj Mahal to memorialize his queen, Mumtaz Mahal, who died prematurely in 1631 from complications in childbirth. He himself was buried with her after his death in 1666. 

Here, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan sits in half-length profile at an open window, gazing upward and holding a sprig of blossoms.  He wears a transparent jama tied to the right and a gold, pearl and jeweled Mughal pagri with multiple necklaces of gold, pearls and precious gems.  Two attendants stand to the left and right on striped carpets, waving peacock morchals.

The color palette of oranges, yellows and greens as well as the broad strokes may suggest a provincial origin in the Punjab Hills, possibly from the orbit of Mankot or Nurpur, as suggested by Dr. Pal.1  Based on execution and color palette, one may discern some  influences from folkish traditions in Rajasthan as well, possibly Sirohi given its vibrant clashing of yellows and oranges.

Illustration to the ‘Large’ Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana:
Satadhanva, Akrura, and Kratvarma in Discussion
Attributed to the first generation after Nainsukh and Manaku
Guler-Basohli, circa 1760–1765
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper
Image: 10 ¾ x 15 in. (27.4 x 38 cm.)
Folio: 11 ¾ x 16 ⅛ in. (29.7 x 40.8 cm.)

The present illustration comes from the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana which describes episodes from the life of Krishna. This episode recounts the story of the Syamantaka, a precious gem which was presented to Satrajit by the sun god Surya and accounted for the god’s dazzling appearance. Krishna becomes embroiled in the gem’s repeated theft and recovery after being wrongfully accused of stealing it by Satrajit. When Krishna recovers the jewel and returns it to Satrajit to clear his name, Satrajit has a change of heart and offers Krishna both the Syamantaka jewel and his beautiful daughter, Satyabhama, who was considered a jewel among women. While Krishna refuses the gift of the jewel, he accepts Satyabhama as his new wife, angering  Akrura and Kratvarma who had sought Satyabhama’s hand for their own. Akrura and Kratvarma appear here trying to convince Satadhanva to kill Satrajit for his indiscretion and steal the gem for himself.

The three men appear framed in a large double-paned window. The bearded Satadhanva, on the left, listens to the mustachioed Akrura and Kratvarma on the right as they plot to steal the precious gem. All three wear jamas with bold patterns that complement the gold geometric motif of the terrace walls outside. This image utilizes the unusually large format in a striking way, filling it with prominent yet simplified architectural elements rather than breaking up the space with small details—an example of how the younger generation of Seu family artists were able to throw off the constraints of the traditional miniaturist. 

The present painting comes from a series referred to by Archer as the ‘Large’ Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana   or the ‘Fifth’ Basohli Bhagavata Purana of 1760–1765. In her discussion of four paintings from the same set in the Chester Beatty Library, Linda York Leach explains: 

The series, by a number of different hands, is one of the richest sources of information about the specific ways in which Pahari miniaturists gradually relaxed their styles of drawing and developed a cleaner, more open and more naturalistic idiom. (L.Y. Leach, p.1048)

B.N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer note that the series is often ascribed to Manaku’s son, Fattu, who lived for a time with his uncle Nainsukh, and thus incorporated the styles of both masters into his own work (Goswamy, p. 689). Compare to a folio from the same series at the Philadelphia Museum of Art depicting Uddhava visiting Vrindavan at Krishna’s Bidding (acc. 1996-120-2). The Philadelphia folio exhibits a similar format, with Uddhava and Vrindavan framed within a red, double-paned window, and surrounded by stark architectural forms. See also a folio from the ‘Large’ Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana depicting the return of the Syamantaka, published by Archer in Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills, 1973, Basohli, 22(xii).

References:
Goswamy (ed.)., et al., Masters of Indian Painting, New Delhi, 2011.
L.Y. Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, Vol.II, 1995.

Sambara and Rati
Guler-Chamba, circa 1780
Opaque watercolor on paper
Image: 6 ⅝ x 9 ⅝ in. (16.8 x 24.6 cm.)
Folio: 8 ½ x 11 ½ in. (21.6 x 29.2 cm.)

Provenance:
Maggs Bros Ltd., London.
Private collection, acquired from the above 30 June 1984.

Emerging from his humble cave dwelling is the demon Sambara alongside Rati, the Hindu goddess of love and counterpart to Kama. In a past life, the beautiful Rati was married to Kama before he was incinerated by Shiva. Devastated by the death of her husband, Rati underwent severe penance and was eventually granted the boon of his reincarnation. In order to accompany her husband into his rebirth, Rati abandoned her former body to be reborn as Mayavati, the wife of Sambara. Rati was then told that Kama’s reincarnation, Pradyumna, would someday slay Sambara, reuniting the lovers once again.

Compared to Mayavati-Rati’s small frame and delicate features, Sambara exudes virile power as he puts his arm around her. His large body is covered in finely rendered hairs and his eyebrow is raised in a seductive manner, eyes filled with lust. Despite the sexual tension in this scene, however, Mayavati-Rati never sleeps with Sambara, who is technically her husband. Although Rati is the Hindu goddess of carnal desire, lust, and sexual pleasure, she remains pure and untouched, donning an illusionary form to enchant Sambara. Saving herself for her true husband, Pradyumna, Mayavati only ever gives Sambara her shadow in bed—hence the name Maya, meaning illusion. 

The present painting depicts Sambara leading Mayavati from a cave made of striking pink and gray rocks. The lush green Pahari foothills are interspersed with diminutive trees, making the pseudo-couple appear larger than life. Belonging to a transitional period, this painting exhibits traits from both the Guler and Chamba schools of painting. Compare to another folio depicting Shiva Chasing Mohini from the same set, currently at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh (Vishwa Chander Ohri & Roy C. Craven Jr., Painters of the Pahari Schools, Marg Publications, 1998, p. 102).