NEPAL, CIRCA 1775

This painting belongs to a known group of dispersed folios from the Bhagavata Purana, recognizable from their large dimensions and distinctive red border. The Gurkha dynasty that ruled Nepal claimed descent from the Rajas of Chittogarh, having fled from the Mughals to take refuge in Nepal. Accordingly Rajput tradition and culture was patronized at the Gurkha court. As such, the palette, narrative and depiction of figures seem to relate to central Indian painting. The wonderful aerial view revealing the complex architectural composition in multiple perspectives has parallels with later Mewari court painting (Hurel and Okada, Pouvoir et Desir: Miniatures Indiennes Collection Edwin Binney 3rd du san Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, 2002, pp. 114-115, cat.42). However, Pal argues that by the eighteenth- century the influence of Pahari and Kangra painting on Nepali art cannot be overlooked in favor of Rajput due to the geographical separation with central India (Pal, The Classical Tradition in Rajput Painting from the Paul F. Walter Collection, New York, 1978, pp. 196-197, cat. 73.).
A folio from this series, depicting Krishna and Satyambha storming Pragyotisha sold recently at Christie’s New York, 23 March 2022, lot 481 for $151,200. A similar painting from this series is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. no. 2019.64). For further paintings from this series, see lots 519 and 521-523 in the present sale.