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112
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[PAHARI MINIATURE]. Falconry Scene.
See original version (Italian)
112
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[PAHARI MINIATURE]. Falconry Scene.
See original version (Italian)
Estimate €8,000 - €12,000
Voluntary lot
Description
[PAHARI MINIATURE]. Falconry Scene. [India, first half of the 18th century].
A large and refined miniature depicting a Mughal nobleman on horseback during a falconry expedition, accompanied by an attendant. The composition unfolds across several planes within a vast landscape of hills and wetlands: trees and clusters of vegetation dot the hillsides in the light of dawn, whilst herons and other birds inhabit the stretches of water below; a small settlement is visible in the far distance. At the centre, the falconer, dressed entirely in white, rides a richly caparisoned bay horse and holds a bird of prey on his gloved hand, whilst his attendant leads a second falcon. To the right, a raptor is shown seizing a bird in flight, providing the dynamic focal point of the composition. Falconry, deeply rooted in Islamic aristocratic culture and particularly favoured at the Mughal court, became a recurring subject in Indian painting, combining the depiction of the hunt with an evocation of rank and courtly life. Dating from the first half of the eighteenth century, the miniature displays characteristics associated with the painting of northern India, with possible Pahari influences; in the absence of further evidence, an attribution to the Murshidabad school appears less certain.
Miniature on paper (440 × 320 mm), set within a triple polychrome border decorated with naturalistic and stylised floral motifs; mounted on a board decorated with a repeating pattern of red flowers against a gilded ground, with an additional outer border of flowers and foliage. In excellent condition, with only minimal defects. (1)
See original version (Italian)
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