A flowering plant

Physical description

The painting shows a plant with small crimson flowers on a plain off-white paper ground. The plant rises from the ground which is indicated by a tuft of greenery and fines lines of grass at the base of the stem. The painting is framed with an inner border made up of strips of buff-coloured paper with an inner line in gold and outlines in black with a single ruled line in red at its innermost edge. There are further black outlines on its outer edge on the main plain ivory-coloured paper of the page, which, too, has strips of grey paper and black outlines pasted on its outer edges. There is a strip of beige-coloured woven textile added along the inner edge as a gutter for the album binding.

Place of Origin

India (north, made)

Date

first half of the 18th century (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Opaque watercolour on paper

Marks and inscriptions

Inscription of identification and number.

Dimensions

Height: 18.2 cm central painting, Width: 10 cm central painting, Height: 35.5 cm page, Width: 23.5 cm page

Object history note

This miniature painting is part of the Small Clive Album of Indian miniatures which is thought to have been given by Shuja ud-Daula, the Nawab of Avadh, to Lord Clive during his last visit to India in 1765-67. It contains 56 leaves on which are Mughal miniature paintings, drawing and flower studies on both sides. The binding is covered with an Indian brocade silk that may have been cut from lengths brought home by the 2nd Lord Clive, who served as Governor of Madras, 1799 to 1803. The album was sold from Powis Castle at Sotheby's sale, 16 to 18 January 1956, lot 332A.

Descriptive line

Flowering plant, Small Clive Album

Production Note

possibly made in Avadh

Materials

Paper; Gold; Opaque watercolour

Subjects depicted

Flowering plant

Categories

Paintings

Collection code

SSEA