PROBABLY NATHADWARA, RAJASTHAN, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

The depiction of this lively scene with its distinctive architectural setting is similar to a painting of a scene from Krishna's childhood by the Nathadwara based artist Ghasiram Sharma (Tryna Lyons in Milo C. Beach, Eberhard Fischer, B. N. Goswamy, (ed.), Masters of Indian Painting, 2011, Vol. II, fig.2, p.783). Lyons dates this comparable work to circa 1900 or before. Both paintings show clear influence of European ideas of architectural perspective. The figures depicted in our painting however with their upturned almond-shaped eyes feel more closely associated with the Kota school of Rajput painting. A painting of Sri Nathji at Holi with similar figures is attributed to circa 1800-20 Kota (in the Chester Beatty Library, inv. 70.15, Linda York Leach, Mughal and other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, London, 1995, vol.II, no. 10.42, p.1008). It is possible therefore that the artist of this painting was trained in the Kota and later travelled to the centre of the Sri Nathji cult - Nathadwara.