Exceptional Book of Indian Mica paintings from the mid 19th century

Book of Indian Mica paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Rajahs Cavalcade'.

Dimensions: 7.5cm x 11cm.

Condition: piece re-stuck to bottom left corner, crack to top right corner. O

riginally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings. 'Company paintings' were produced by Indian artists for Europeans living and working in the Indian subcontinent, especially British employees of the East India Company.

They represent a fusion of traditional Indian artistic styles with conventions and technical features borrowed from western art. Some Company paintings were specially commissioned, while others were virtually mass-produced and could be purchased in bazaars.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'The Hindoo Festival of the Rutth Jafra' with a procession of male figures walking behind an elephant and pulling a temple float, dimensions: 23.3cm x 18.1cm; condition: tear to lower section. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Naatch, Girls Dancing before a Native of Rank', with seated figures at leisure, attendants, musicians and dancing girls all beneath a canopy in a palace courtyard, dimensions: 23cm x 18.6cm; condition: good. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings. The English word 'nautch' comes from Hindi and Marathi nach (dance) and refers to a performance given by dancing-girls in front of an audience.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Suttee, the Burning of a Hindoo Wife with her Husbands Body', with a crowd gathered around a funeral pyre, with a riverscape in the background, dimensions: 23cm x 18.5 cm; condition: small section of bottom left corner missing, two tears. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Bàrat, a Mahomedan Marriage Procession', with figures riding elephants, playing musical instruments and bearing flags accompanying a groom on horseback, dimensions: 23.2cm x 18.5cm; condition: good. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Chouttaree, the Procession of an Offering Made to the Ganges on the Fourth Day after a Hindoo Marriage', the foreground with a procession of musicians on the left and a sword bearing figure leading a group of ladies on the right, with the walls and entrance to a palace in the background, dimensions: 23cm x 18cm; condition: slight wear. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Dank Traveller', with four men carrying a figure in a litter, accompanied by a number of attendants, dimensions: 19cm x 15cm; condition: very small piece missing to lower edge. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Dank Traveller', with four men carrying a figure in a litter, accompanied by a number of attendants, dimensions: 19cm x 15cm; condition: very small piece missing to lower edge. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'The Hindoo Festival of the |Chut|', the foreground with figures carrying out rituals of holy bathing, accompanied by a crowd bearing baskets of prayer offerings along the riverbank, dimensions: 23cm x 18cm; condition: slight wear to edges. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings. The festival of Chhath is a Hindu festival to thank the Sun God Surya for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'The Hindoo Festival of the Doorga Pooja', with a procession of figures carrying a float with Durga defeating over the evil deamon, dimensions: 22.5cm x 18.5cm; condition: small piece to top right corner re-stuck. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings. The Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Procession at the Time of the Great Hindoo Festival of the Hobe', dimensions: 22.7cm x 19.3cm; condition: good. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'The Great Mahomedan Festival of the Moharreum', dimensions: 29cm x 21.5cm; condition: slight damage to top right corner. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings. Muharram (or Muharrum) is a holiday in India, marking the start of the Islamic year. The 10th day of Muharram is often accompanied by parades and prayers.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A Hindoo Marriage Ceremony', with a wedding party seated beneath a decorative canopy carrying out a wedding ritual in the presence of fire (Panigrahana), dimensions: 21.3cm x 17.4cm; condition: some wear to edges. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'A River Scene with Boats', dimensions: 22.5cm x 18.5cm; condition: tear to lower half. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

Indian painting on mica, mid-19th Century, mounted on a paper leaf, depicting a scene titled 'Toddy Trees and Female Patty Sellers', dimensions:28.7cm x 23cm; condition: good. Originally part of a leather bound album containing fourteen Indian paintings.

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number