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Lot Essay
The present painting is from a large dispersed series which W.G. Archer referred to as the ‘Large’ Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana series or the ‘Fifth’ Basohli Bhagavata Purana series of 1760-65 (W.G. Archer, Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills, vol.I, London, 1973, pp.49-51). In her discussion of four paintings from the same set in the Chester Beatty Library, Linda York Leach explains: "[They demonstrate] changes that occurred in traditional hill painting during the 18th century. [It] is one of the richest sources of information for our knowledge of Pahari paintings" (Linda York Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, Vol.II, 1995, p.1048).
The composition of the illustrations and style of painting exhibit a strong dependence and awareness of the work of the most renowned Pahari artists of the period Manaku and Nainsukh, the sons of Pandit Seu. B.N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer note that the series is often attributed to Manaku’s son Fattu who was taught by his father. Fattu is thought to have lived with his uncle Nainsukh in Basohli for some time and would have also incorporated artistic elements from the latter. It is possible that one of Nainsukh’s sons was also involved in the series (B.N. Goswamy (ed.)., et al., Masters of Indian Painting, New Delhi, 2011, p.689). Although difficult to firmly attribute the series to any one painter from the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh, it is evident that a ‘family style’ can be recognised.
The generation of artists after Nainsukh and Manaku are most known for their series completed in the last quarter of the 18th century, on the ‘Tehri-Garhwal’ Gita Govinda, the ‘Modi’ Bhagavata Purana, and the ‘Bharany’ Ramayana. These closely related series are lauded for their naturalistic celebration of nature and the Pahari landscape, delicate figures, and a pastel color palette. The present series, executed a couple decades earlier, more closely relies the Basohli style of Manaku, bolder in execution and color.
This illustration is from the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana which describes episodes from the life of Krishna. The scene shows the moment that Vishnu appears to Devaki and Vasudeva as Krishna, foretelling to them that he will be their son. Another illustration from the series which shows Vasudeva crossing the Yamuna, which was sold in these Rooms 10 June 2015, lot 56 from the collection of Anthony Hobson, is particularly similar to the present painting. Both appear in sequence with our painting numbered '11' in the top left corner of the reverse and the June 2015 painting numbered '12'. When that illustration was catalogued by Simon Ray in 2015 it was attributed to Fattu (circa 1725-1790) and the similarity in style and composition of the two paintings would strongly suggest that the same artist worked on both.
A large number of paintings from this series was sold at Sotheby's London in February 1960, the Property of Mrs F.C. Smith, across 63 lots. A further group was again sold by Sotheby's in July 1965. Paintings from the 'Large' Guler-Basohli Bhagavata Purana are in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (acc. no. 61.382), the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. nos. IS.38-1960 through IS.42-1960), the San Diego Museum of Art (acc. no. 1990.1060) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (acc. no. 1987-52-13). The paintings all have inscriptions in devanagari and takri script on the reverse identifying the scenes illustrated. The majority of paintings, like the present lot, have red margins with a narrow inner black border and double white rules but some have just the red margins and black border.
For other paintings from this series which have sold in these Rooms, see 28 October 2021, lot 60; 2 May 2019, lot 99; 12 June 2018, lot 143; 10 June 2015, lots 54-56; and Christie’s, South Kensington, 10 June 2013, lot 177; 7 October 2011, lots 394, 395. Another was sold at Christie's, New York, 20 March 2024, lot 549.