Page 63 - Fine Chinese, Japanese and Buddhist Art September 28, 2018 Galerie Zacke

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AN OTTOMAN DRAWING OF A PERI WITH
SHURALE
Ink and gold on very thin paper, laid down
on cardboard, with painted cardboard frame,
behind glass inside modern frame
Ottoman Empire, 17 / 18 century or even
th
th
earlier

This masterful Ottoman drawing shows the
scenery of a Peri in the forest. An Infrit or
Shurale is pouring liquid from a bottle into
the bottle of the kneeling Peri. At the top
another horned forest demon can be seen.
The actual drawing is framed by a decorative
border hand painted with flowers.

The peri represents the ‘idyllic tranquility of
the enchanted forest’ and can be seen in the
present example holding a bottle, with wings
and a leafy hat, comparable to saz leaves.
Shurale also live in the forest. They have
horns and a woolly body. Legend says they
lure victims to a thicket and can tickle them
to death.

Shape: Rectangular vertical shape
Dimensions: 20,5 x 15,5 cm (painting size),
26 x 19,5 cm (including floral cardboard
mounting), 28 x 21,5 cm (size of frame)
Condition: The drawing is in overall good
condition with some minor creases and
rubbings
Provenance: German Private Collection

Literature comparison: A number of
Ottoman drawings of peris exist as part
of albums, including one in the Topkapi
Saray Museum, two pages of which are
published in ibid, pp.102-103, nos.48a & b.
The present finely-executed example shares
characteristics with both these drawings,
in the treatment of both the face and hat
of the former, and the wings and loose
ribbons of the latter (attributed to the artist
Velican). Other examples can be found in
the Museé Jaquemart-André, Paris and the
Freer Gallery of Art, Washington DC (see
Petsopoulos1982, pp.196-7, nos.189-190),
whilst a seated peri was in the collection
of Edwin Binney III (published in E. Binney
50 III, Turkish Treasures from the Collection of
AN INDIAN PICHVAI PAINTING WITH WORSHIP OF Shape: Rectangular vertical shape Edwin Binney III, Portland, 1979, pp.76-77,
SHRINATHJI, 1900s Dimensions: 154 x 119 cm no.47).
Body color on cloth Condition: The painting is in overall good condition with
Nathdwara, Rajasthan, around 1900 some stains and abrasions. One tear has been closed off at Auction result comparison: Sotheby’s, AN
the backside EYE FOR OPULENCE- ART OF THE OTTOMAN
The painting depicts the worship of Shrinathji. At the top Provenance: German Private Collection EMPIRE, 24 APRIL 2012, London, lot 263 (for
th
the temple can be seen and at the lower end is a lotus an Ottoman Peri drawing, dated to the 16
pond. Villagers and many manifestations of the royal couple EstimateġEUR 400,- century)
embody the center part. The margins show a pretty painted Starting price EUR 200,-
floral border. EstimateġEUR 1.000,-
Starting price EUR 500,-
A Pichvai is an Indian temple hanging consisting of cotton
cloth painted with scenes from the life of the Hindu deity
Lord Krishna and used as a backdrop for his idol, also used
decoratively in homes.

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