Miniature by Anonymous: Signed (4 results)

Condition: Fair. Signed Copy . Book Good. No dust jacket. Inscribed by author on front endpage. Slightly dampstained. (art exhibition).

No Binding. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. An elegant late Mughal miniature showing a royal or noble couple seated within a terrace pavilion at night. The man, wearing a white robe and gold turban, embraces a woman in a rose-pink sari as they sit on patterned textiles surrounded by architectural screens, flowering trees, and a fountain. The horizon reveals rolling hills and a crescent moon. The work captures the Lucknow atelier?s refined romantic idiom, merging courtly love imagery with Mughal architectural detail. Executed on a reused Persian manuscript leaf, the verso preserves seven full lines of poetic text written in fine Nastaliq hand. The verses express moral and spiritual reflection, closing with a date and signature: 'Written in Rajab 1299 by the humble servant ?Ali ibn Yusuf.' This combination of moral verse and romantic painting epitomizes the late Indo-Persian synthesis of the nineteenth century, when artists repurposed literary manuscripts into visual artworks for private patrons and colonial collectors. The miniature?s luminous tonality, detailed gold border, and subtle modeling of faces are characteristic of Lucknow workshops c. 1860?1890. The signed and dated Persian text enhances its scholarly and market value. TRANSLATION (SELECTED LINES FROM REVERSE) 1. 'He who binds his heart to this fleeting world shall find only grief.' 2. 'The wise man?s treasure is patience; his kingdom, contentment.' 3. 'In the mirror of time, every beauty fades but the spirit endures.' 4. 'Seek not gold nor kingship, for both vanish like shadow at sunset.' 5. 'Remember the Beloved in the garden of solitude.' 6. 'Written by the humble servant, ?Ali ibn Yusuf, in Rajab 1299.' ART HISTORICAL CONTEXT This folio represents the refined aesthetic of Lucknow?s late Mughal revival period (c. 1850? 1890), blending Islamic calligraphy with Hindu-inspired romantic subject matter. Lucknow?s artists often painted directly over discarded Persian poetic manuscripts, preserving the reverence for sacred writing while adapting to changing markets and patronage. The fusion of Persian literary philosophy with courtly painting exemplifies nineteenth- century Indo-Persian syncretism. The dated inscription (1299 AH / 1882 CE) and signature ?Ali ibn Yusuf? situate this leaf firmly within the artistic and literary circles of post-1857 Lucknow. PROVENANCE Private Collection, acquired India c. 2000 Part of a documented group of Indo-Persian miniature leaves from Lucknow ateliers (19th century). VALUE ASSESSMENT The dated and signed Persian verso, combined with the fine preservation of the painting, significantly enhances value. Comparable Lucknow manuscript miniatures with legible text and identified scribes have realized $1,500?$3,200 at Bonhams and Swann Galleries (2020? 2024). Unique handmade miniature painting on a repurposed manuscript folio (illustrator).…

No Binding. Condition: Near Fine. No Jacket. A richly colored late Jaipur?Kishangarh miniature depicting Krishna seated among three Gopis beside a lotus pond, framed by wooded hills and a temple dome. The women hold musical instruments and flowers, illustrating the Raslila theme of divine love. The dark ground and delicate white highlights reveal Kishangarh influence, while the color harmonies and composition align with Jaipur court painting traditions. Executed in opaque watercolor and gold on reused paper containing 19th-century Devanagari accounting entries, confirming authentic material reuse practices of late Rajput ateliers. TRANSLATION (SELECTED LINES ? DEVANAGARI REVERSE) 1. ???? ?????? ??? ? In the name of Lord Ganesha 2. ?????? ? ?? ? Harilal ? 95 rupees 3. ??????? ? ??? ? Mohanlal ? 115 rupees 4. ???????? ? ??? ? Girdharlal ? 125 rupees 5. ?????????? ? ??? ? Lakshmidas ? 105 rupees 6. ?? ? ? ??? ? Total ? 440 rupees 7. ?????? ???? ???? ? Dated Samvat 1211 (? 1854 CE) 8. ????????? ??????? ? Signed: Sohanlal (account keeper) 9. ??? ???????? ???? ? Note: Merchant account CONCLUSION This elegant Jaipur?Kishangarh devotional miniature exemplifies the synthesis of religious art and mercantile documentation. The reuse of an 1850s account ledger connects spiritual devotion with the material world of 19th-century Rajasthan. Together with Items 171 and 172, this folio forms part of a unified Krishna?Gopi series by the same workshop, notable for refined color layering, rhythmic composition, and historical depth. Unique handmade miniature painting on a repurposed manuscript folio (illustrator).…

No Binding. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. A late 19th-century Jaipur?Kishangarh school miniature painting depicting Krishna with three Gopis in a moonlit grove. The figures are elegantly posed, two holding musical instruments and one offering a drink to Krishna, set against a darkened hilly landscape and a domed temple in the distance. Executed in opaque watercolor and gold on handmade paper, the painting combines lyrical grace with delicate color harmony characteristic of the Kishangarh idiom. The reverse reveals Devanagari account writing, listing merchant names and rupee values (e.g., Ganeshdas, Nanalal, Ramchandra) with repeated numerical tallies? likely from an earlier financial ledger reused by the artist. This dual-layer artifact reflects both devotional artistry and the economic pragmatism of late Rajput atelier practice, where fine paper from commercial sources was often repurposed for miniature painting. TRANSLATION (SELECTED LINES ? DEVANAGARI REVERSE) 1. ??????? ? ??? ? Ganeshdas ? 125 rupees 2. ??????? ? ??? ? Nanalal ? 215 rupees 3. ????????? ? ??? ? Ramchandra ? 155 rupees 4. ?????????? ? ??? ? Govinddas ? 105 rupees 5. ??????? ? ??? ? Munshiji ? 115 rupees 6. ?? ? ? ??? ? Total ? 950 rupees 7. ?????? ? ???? ?????? ? Dated (unclear, possibly Samvat 1911?1915 ? 1854?1858 CE) 8. ??????? (signature) ? Signed: Shankarlal (account keeper) CONCLUSION A superb example of Jaipur?Kishangarh devotional painting over reused manuscript paper. Its fusion of romantic Krishna imagery with underlying mercantile text offers tangible evidence of cross-contextual reuse in 19th-century Rajasthani art. The painting?s strong preservation, precise linework, and manuscript documentation make it a collectible example of both religious and documentary heritage from the late Rajput court tradition. Unique handmade miniature painting on a repurposed manuscript folio (illustrator).…