Page 152 - September 20th 2021, Indian and Himalayan Art Christie's NYC

467 468
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A DEVI MAHATMYA SERIES: DEVI AN ILLUSTRATRION FROM A TANTRIC DEVI SERIES: DEVI The two paintings on this spread depict the trimurti —Brahma, Shiva
VENERATED BY THE TRIMURTI INDRAKSHI VENERATED BY THE TRIMURTI and Vishnu — worshiping Devi. The so-called Dispersed Tantric Devi
INDIA, PAHARI HILLS, MANDI, EARLY 19TH CENTURY INDIA, PAHARI HILLS, NURPUR OR BASOHLI, CIRCA 1700 Series, produced in Basohli circa 1660 to showcase the different
Folio 10º x 13√ in. (26 x 35.2 cm.) Image 7¿ x 8√ in. (18.1 x 22.5 cm.) manifestations of the Goddess, is among the earliest known series
Image 8√ x 12¡ in. (22.5 x 31.4 cm.) Page 8æ x 10Ω in. (22.2 x 26.7 cm.) commissioned in the Pahari region. The series demonstrated a clear
$6,000-8,000 $10,000-15,000 influence in later Pahari works such as lots 467 and 468. Lot 467 stems
from Mandi, prior to the employment of Sajnu at the court atelier, at a
PROVENANCE: time when the painting school was marked by more nascent, playful
Private collection, New York, 1990s, by repute. styles. Lot 468 was produced in either of the closely related schools
of Nurpur or Basohli, both schools utilizing the distinctive technique of
raising jewelry with thick, white paint and embellishing the jewels with
emerald colored beetle leaves.