Page 33 - Bonhams, Indian and Himalayan Art New York July 23, 2020

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AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A MAHABHARATA SERIES: The variance in scale of the painting’s figures, and its open
ABHIMANYU PIERCES THE KAURAVA BATTLE FORMATION battleground devoid of floral exuberances, are idiomatic of late Pahari
AT KURUKSHETRA epic battle scenes. The painting most likely of the subsequent scene
GARHWAL, CIRCA 1820 from the same series was at Sotheby’s, New York, 26 March 2003, lot
Opaque watercolor on paper heightened with gold; verso with 129. For other examples in the series, see Sotheby’s, New York, 22
identifying inscriptions in white pigment for each leader of the Pandava March 1989, lot 168; Sotheby’s, New York, 15 December 1978, lot
and Kaurava factions. 180; Sotheby’s, New York, 14 December 1979, lot 224.
Image: 11 3/4 x 16 3/4 in. (29.8 x 42.5 cm);
Folio: 12 5/8 x 17 5/8 in. (32 x 44.8 cm) Provenance
RE Lewis, San Francisco, 12 January 1979
$8,000 - 12,000 Estate of William and Josephine Roth (1916-2014), San Francisco

After several days of battle, and Bhishma’s death, the Kaurava army
is now led by Drona, seen in his chariot near the painting’s center.
Drona arranges his forces into the almost-impenetrable “chakra” battle
formation (Chakravyuha), which appears like a circle from above,
as captured by the artist. Abhimanyu, 3rd son of Arjuna, and the
most beloved of all the Pandavas’ sons, knew how to break into a
Chakravyuha, but not how to break out. Now that his arrow and his
chariot bear down on Drona, is Abhimanyu trapped? The remaining
Pandava factions, pictured on the right, have not been to follow him in,
being kept at bay by Jayadratha, near the bottom center, leading the
Kaurava’s vanguard.

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