INDIA, RAJASTHAN, JODHPUR, CIRCA 1827

The present painting from a Shiva Rahasya series depicts the abode of Shiva on the summit of Mount Kailash, where he meditates, engages in the sport of hunting, hosts a teaching session and confers with Brahma. This painting exemplifies the work of the court artists of Maharaja Man Singh of Jodhpur (r. 1803-1843), who commissioned very large scale series of texts such as the Ramayana, Durga Charitra and the Shiva Rahasya. The present painting relates closely to a 101 folio series in the collection of the Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur (see D. Diamond, C. Glynn, and K. Singh Jasol, Garden and Cosmos: the Royal Paintings of Jodhpur, London 2008, pp. 238-239, no. 54). Despite its large scale on its own, the layout of the Mehrangarh folios imply the present painting is possibly only one-third lengthwise of a complete folio. Other pages from this series sold at Bonhams London, 24 April 2012, lot 280 and Christie’s London 3 October 2012, lot 210.