.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The artist Purkhu is noted for his very lyrical depictions of clouds with expressive swirling shapes rendered in multiple colours often outlined in orange. A further painting ascribed to Purkhu depicting Indra consulting with his preceptor has similar expressive cloud forms which Goswamy and Fischer describe as ‘wonderfully inventive’, (B. N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer, Pahari Masters, Zurich, 1992, no. 167, p.383). A painting attributed to Purkhu with expressive cloud forms was sold at Christie’s South Kensington, 10 June 2013, lot 16. Purkhu is also noted for his lyrical depictions of architectural structures which appear at several different angles flowing with the narrative of the scene. A painting ascribed to Purkhu depicting Queen Mena awaking from sleep is embellished with structures depicted in gold with very similar geometric decoration and onion domes is probably from a closely related series to our present work, (B.N Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer, op.cit., no. 166, p.382). A further work attributed to Purkhu was sold at Christie’s South Kensington, 10 June 2013, lot 19. There are no known signed works by Purkhu however the similarity of the style of our present work to other known paintings often ascribed to him indicate that this painting was produced in his workshop. For a painting attributed to Purkhu see lot 71 in the present sale.