Imaginary seige of a city,

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Imaginary seige of a city,
gouache on paper heightened with gold, before a walled city, two armies of European and Oriental-looking figures with cavalry, elephants and cannons, face each other across a stream, mounted, framed and glazed, Matra or Jaipur, late 18th/19th century - 22.2 x 30.5cm.

Lot Essay

Although many of the figures look distinctly Oriental in both their costume and hair styles, it is more likely that this is a misrepresentation of Europeans. Though the architecture is Indian the scene is most likely whimsical and demonstrates the strong influence at the time of European maps and prints. For other similar paintings see Leach, B.: Paintings in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin 1996, vol.II, pp.753-5.

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