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Lot Essay
The story on the reverse begins with the narrator describing how the people insisted he become a kad-khoda (village headman). Despite originally declining, in the end he is persuaded. The people then brought the daughters of the previous ruler for him to choose one as a wife. After discussing the custom of sati in the village, of which he disapproves, he then seeks an astrologer. He asks the astrologer a number of questions about a ruler he is seeking and is amazed at the precision and accuracy of his answers: he is told the ruler is on his way to China.
This painting illustrates the astrologer using a "magic mirror" in order to foresee the future. It is a very rare depiction of one of these mirrors in use. The artist even depicts the face that appears in the mirror, presumably that of the absent ruler.
The artist of this painting in the original catalogue was identified as “Artist A.” His work is very similar to that of one or more of the artists on the Chester Beatty manuscripts noted above. In this scene he plays unusually with the perspective, such that the building center right, while nearer than the palace on the horizon, is rendered much smaller.
This painting illustrates the astrologer using a "magic mirror" in order to foresee the future. It is a very rare depiction of one of these mirrors in use. The artist even depicts the face that appears in the mirror, presumably that of the absent ruler.
The artist of this painting in the original catalogue was identified as “Artist A.” His work is very similar to that of one or more of the artists on the Chester Beatty manuscripts noted above. In this scene he plays unusually with the perspective, such that the building center right, while nearer than the palace on the horizon, is rendered much smaller.