AN ILLUSTRATION TO A RAGAMALA SERIES: BHAIRAVI RAGINI

Another painting by Faqirullah from the same Ragamala series was formerly in the Edwin Binney, 3rd collection (Edwin Binney, 3rd, Indian Miniature Painting from the Collection of Edwin Binney, 3rd: The Mughal and Deccani Schools with some related Sultanate material, Portland, 1973, no. 84). Faqirullah’s full name was Muhammad Faqirullah Khan, which he uses on a slightly earlier work on the Johnson album in the British Library (album 17, no. 3). His style was at that time purely Mughal whereas the present picture relates to the style developed in Awadh where Faqirullah probably moved to after the 1750s. A painting by Faqirullah of A Princess and Her Companions Enjoying a Terrace Ambiance is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (M.2005.159; India’s Fabled City, The Art of Courtly Lucknow, exhibition catalogue, Los Angeles, 2010, fig. 25, p.73). That is attributed to Farrukhabad and dated to circa 1760-70. For another painting from the same series please see the following lot.

A painting of Dipak Raga attributed to Faqirullah and dated circa 1750-60 sold at Christie's, London, 26 May 2016, lot 54