Page 80 - Sotheby's Indian Himalayan and Southeast Asian Wroks of Art March 2019

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PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION Radha and Krishna are pictured in their W. G. Archer comments that in some cases
AN ILLUSTRATION DEPICTING RADHA bedchamber whose adjoining terrace opens out Sajnu’s jagged angular rhythms violate realism
ENVELOPED IN KRISHNA’S EMBRACE into a lotus pond with distant hills visible in the for geometric drama (W. G. Archer, Indian
background.
Paintings from the Punjab Hills, Vol. 1, 1973, p.
India, Kangra, circa 1790-1800 316). This is manifest in the plethora of canted
Sajnu was an artist who originally hailed from
School of Sajnu Kangra, but later migrated to the court of Raja forms cascading through the picture plane and
Opaque watercolor on paper heightened with gold Isvari Sen (r. 1788-1826), the ruler of Mandi. even in the exaggerated crook of Krishna’s arm
image 9 by 6⅞ in. (23.6 by 17.4 cm.), Sajnu was a master of the stylistic conventions within which Radha rests.
unframed of the Kangra Valley. His lyrical works are For other paintings by Sajnu or his circle, see W.
characterised by their exceptionally delicate G. Archer, Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills,
PROVENANCE
treatment of facial features, an extensive use Vol. 2, London and New York, 1973, p. 360-367.
Sotheby’s New York, March 19, 2008, lot 225. of white and a preoccupation with geometric
Private Canadian Collection. compositional devices, all seen in the present $ 20,000-30,000
work.
EXHIBITED
The Cult of Krishna, The University of Michigan
Museum of Art, August 2 - September 27, 1970.

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