Mughal Miniature: Lady on Terrace with Rams Below, Lucknow or Murshidabad, c. 1820?1840

Anonymous

Published by [Anonymous workshop, North India or Deccan], North India (Lucknow or Murshidabad), 1840

About this Item

Artistic Context & Overview The painting depicts a noble lady seated under a red canopy, leaning forward and sprinkling rose petals or perfume. Below, two rams lock horns in symbolic combat. The juxtaposition represents inner and outer conflict ? serenity above, struggle below. Opaque watercolor and ink on handmade paper with yellow-gold poetic cartouches at top and bottom. The palette of slate-blue grounds and luminous yellows is typical of Lucknow or Murshidabad ateliers, circa 1820?1840. 2. Reverse Text & Translation The reverse bears Urdu Nastaliq poetry, numbered '103' with collector?s mark 'B16/2'. The text reflects Sufi meditation on the soul?s struggle and divine truth. Selected translation: ?We servants are bound in the fetters of night and day; transient beauties live but a moment. Yet within the lover?s heart resides one enduring truth ? a mystery beyond wisdom?s reach. The human heart hides its secret like ore; he who beholds God smiles in silence. The East holds beauty and purity, the West brilliance and charm.? 3. Material & Manuscript Context Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on laid paper. Folio number 103 indicates extraction from a bound moral-romantic manuscript. Paper shows consistent laid lines; pigments include indigo, yellow ochre, and vermilion. Reverse writing corresponds stylistically to early 19th- century Lucknow literary manuscripts. 4. Condition (Summary) Very good preservation. Slight edge toning and minor stain upper right on reverse; no pigment flaking. Verso legible and stable. Suitable for framing or scholarly study. 5. Provenance / Significance From a dispersed Indo-Persian moral manuscript combining visual allegory and Sufi poetic commentary. Comparable examples include British Library Add.Or. 1812 and Rampur Raza Library moral series. Illustrates the late Mughal dialogue between love, piety, and worldly illusion. 6. Valuation Auction Estimate: $1,000?$2,200 Retail Range: $2,400?$4,200 Suggested Price: $2,800 7. Conclusion A refined Indo-Persian miniature uniting devotional verse with allegorical imagery. Executed in Lucknow or Murshidabad circa 1820?1840, the work embodies late Mughal sensibility through delicate color, poetic narrative, and moral symbolism.

Seller Inventory # IPM_2025-10-05-149

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Mughal Miniature: Lady on Terrace with Rams Below, Lucknow or Murshidabad, c. 1820?1840
• Publisher: [Anonymous workshop, North India or Deccan], North India (Lucknow or Murshidabad)
• Publication Date: 1840
• Language: Persian
• Binding: No Binding
• Illustrator: Unique handmade miniature painting on a repurposed manuscript folio
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Dimensions: 20W x 29H x 0D centimeters 20 centimeters width by 29 centimeters height by 0 centimeters depth
• Weight: 1 ounce