.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This painting depicts a famous scene from chapter 2.90 of the Harivamsa, or The Genealogy of Hari. The Harivamsa is a work in three chapters, appended to the great epic the Mahabharata. The red-skinned demon Nikumbha carries off princess Bhanumati much to the distress of the Yadava ladies, Vasudeva in green and Ugrasena in pink realising that Bhanumati has been kidnapped set off in their chariots to ask Krishna for help. Our painting skillfully depicts the continuous narrative to great effect, showing Nikumbha and Krishna at various stages of their dynamic combat.
The saga of Nikumbha is one that the painters of this Harivamsa series have relished illustrating as it affords many opportunities to depict dynamic action. A painting published in Simon Ray, Indian & Islamic Works of Art catalogue, 2010, pp.102-103, cat.no.45, depicts a battle to rescue the three abducted daughters of the pious Brahmin, Brahmadatta. The painting shows three identical versions of the multiplied demon king carrying the limp bodies of the three daughters in the midst of battle. In the narrative of the Harivamsa, this is a scene anterior to the abduction of Bhanumati.
The artist Purkhu is noted for his lyrical depictions of clouds with expressive swirling shapes rendered in multiple colors, 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.' Purkhu is also noted for his complex compositions of architectural structures which appear at several different angles flowing with the narrative of the scene. Similarly sweeping architectural compositions can be seen in the Mahabharata series attributed to Purkhu; a painting from this Mahabharata series recently sold at Christie’s New York 22 September 2021, lot 461 for $112,500. Other pages from the Harivamsa series share a remarkably similar composition, and given the epics' relation to each other, it is possible they were produced under the same commission. For further biography on Purkhu and discussion of his works, see B.N. Goswamy and E. Fischer, Pahari Masters, New Delhi, 2009 (reprint), pp. 368-387.
The saga of Nikumbha is one that the painters of this Harivamsa series have relished illustrating as it affords many opportunities to depict dynamic action. A painting published in Simon Ray, Indian & Islamic Works of Art catalogue, 2010, pp.102-103, cat.no.45, depicts a battle to rescue the three abducted daughters of the pious Brahmin, Brahmadatta. The painting shows three identical versions of the multiplied demon king carrying the limp bodies of the three daughters in the midst of battle. In the narrative of the Harivamsa, this is a scene anterior to the abduction of Bhanumati.
The artist Purkhu is noted for his lyrical depictions of clouds with expressive swirling shapes rendered in multiple colors, 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.' Purkhu is also noted for his complex compositions of architectural structures which appear at several different angles flowing with the narrative of the scene. Similarly sweeping architectural compositions can be seen in the Mahabharata series attributed to Purkhu; a painting from this Mahabharata series recently sold at Christie’s New York 22 September 2021, lot 461 for $112,500. Other pages from the Harivamsa series share a remarkably similar composition, and given the epics' relation to each other, it is possible they were produced under the same commission. For further biography on Purkhu and discussion of his works, see B.N. Goswamy and E. Fischer, Pahari Masters, New Delhi, 2009 (reprint), pp. 368-387.