A PAHARI ARTIST WORKING IN THE PUNJAB PLAINS, NORTH INDIA, FIRST HALF 19TH CENTURY

Details

THE HEROINE ENRAGED BY HER LOVER (KHANDITA NAYIKA)
A PAHARI ARTIST WORKING IN THE PUNJAB PLAINS, NORTH INDIA, FIRST HALF 19TH CENTURY
An illustration to the Satsai of Bihari, opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, set between black floral border with red rules and pink margin, the reverse with 3ll. black devanagari
Painting 8 1/8 x 6in. (20.8 x 15.3cm.); folio 10 1/2 x 8 1/4in. (26.5 x 21cm.)

Engraved

On the reverse a couplet from the Satsai of Bihari: bilalki lakhai khari khari bhari anakh bairag
mriganayani sainan bhajai lakhi beni ke daag / 116, 'The doe-eyed nayika go up, saddened and angered, and filled with hauteur and self-esteem, for on the best (as she approached the lover), she noticed traces of some other woman's floral-chaplet. 116'

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Lot Essay

The Doha (a self-contained rhyming couplet) on the reverse of this painting is from the Satsai of Bihari. Bihari Lal worked as a poet in the court of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-58) before being invited to move to Amber by Raja Jai Singh (r. 1621-67), where he is meant to have composed the Satsai. The 17th century work is composed of Dohas on love, devotion and morality. Here the nayika, or heroine, is enraged after realising her lover has been with another woman.

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