Page 84 - Sotheby's Indian Himalayan and Southeast Asian Wroks of Art March 2019

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PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF JOHANNES DUTT “The clouds are gathering, thunder rolls and rain
A RARE SET OF 12 ILLUSTRATIONS pours in torrents.
DEPICTING THE CHANGING SEASONS The wind blows fiercely, the cicadas chirp.
BARAMASA Lions roar and the elephants fell the trees.
India, Kangra, Circa 1820
Day is dark like night and one’s home is best.
Opaque watercolor on paper heightened with gold Pray leave me not in the month of Bhadon
folio: 13 by 9⅞ in. (33 by 25.1 cm) each, [12]
unframed for separation pains like poison”
image: 9⅝ by 7¼ in. (24.4 by 18.4 cm.)
(from the Kavipriya of Keshav Das)
Each painting composed in an oval format inset Complete sets of Baramasa paintings from the
within blue spandrels ornamented with delicate Nineteenth Century are very scarce whether
foliate designs, further framed by a yellow inner from the Pahari region as the present lot, or from
border with blossoms. Rajasthan. The paintings are generally compiled
Each verso bearing an inscription in Devanagari in a seasonal cycle beginning with Spring, viz:
naming the month depicted. Chaitra / Baisakha / Jyeshtha / Ashadha /
Shravan / Bhadon / Ashvina / Karttika / Agahana
This very fine series of twelve paintings illustrates / Pausha / Magh and Phalguna.
the text of the Baramasa (the song of the twelve
months/ seasons) composed by the poet Keshav This theme of the twelve-month cycle of seasons
Das. Each painting depicts a royal couple (a has long been celebrated in the poetry, art
nayika and a nayaka) seated facing each other on and folk traditions of India. Perhaps the most
the carpeted outdoor terrace of a white marble popular version is found in the tenth chapter of
pavilion. A landscape view in the background the Kavipriya written by the poet Keshav Das
of each painting reflects the seasonal village of Orccha (1555-1617) which speaks of the joys
activities associated with that month. of love and pangs of separation experienced
by couples within the context of the changing
In one lively folio depicting the month of Bhadon seasons.
(July-August), the couple sit together speaking
as the dark swirling clouds of the monsoon roll For Rajasthani versions depicting this theme
in. The hero is dressed to leave. The weather is see the collection of the Victoria and Albert
changing but it is still hot - elephants crazed by Museum London IS.32-1980 depicting the
heat-madness uproot trees in the background. month of Karttik, and The British Museum
Powerful wind gusts bend fully-leaved trees as 1999,1202,00.1.8 representing Bhadon. For
the waters begin to rise, flowing rapidly from Pahari illustrations of the subject see W.G.
increasing rainfall. On the terrace the nayika Archer, Pahari Paintings, London, 1973 Vol. I and
admonishes her beloved: II, nos. 44 and 45, and M.S Randhawa, Kangra
Paintings on Love, New Delhi, 1994, Plates XXI,
XXII and XXIV.
We would like to thank Mitche Kunzman for his
assistance with this entry.
$ 70,000-90,000

82 SOTHEBY’S INDIAN, HIMALAYAN & SOUTHEAST ASIAN WORKS OF ART