ladies of the zenana enacting a love scene on a terrace.

Physical description

The loving couple in the centre of this painting are both female. The one on the left is a yogini with her hair tied in a bun at the back of her head, and a meditation band round her knees. She rests her left arm round the shoulders of her companion who clasps an orange bolster. This figure appears superficially to be a man wearing a turban with a black aigrette, but the rounded breasts which are apparent through her transparent clothing betray her true sex as a female. Moreover, her feet are hennaed like those of the rest of the women in the picture. Her turban distinguishes her as a Mughal princess. She is dressed in a transparent golden peshwaz with golden lappets round the neck and bodice opening and panels edged in gold, over tightly ruched golden paijama sprigged with pink flowers and a golden patka decorated with pink flowers She is richly bedecked in rows of pearls and necklaces with large gems The yogini beside her is dressed in a pale green gaghra dotted with golden motifs and a gold hem with a golden sash bound round her legs as a meditation band. On her upper body she wears a red ruched choli which terminates just above the lower edge of her breasts. She, too, wears a full set of pearl, gold and gem-set jewellery. The couple sit on an ochre-coloured patterned floor cloth by the side of a rustic wooden hut and are attended by three other females: one on the right offering flasks of wine, another seated clasping a handkerchief in one hand and holding out a small cup in the other, while she clasps a bolster to her body. A third attendant stands holding up a circular pink, green and gold fan. Flowers, fruits and sweetmeats are placed on an oval cloth on the decorative floor covering ornamented with a scrolling floral design on a blue background.
All three attendant ladies are wearing transparent white peshwaz with paned skirts edged in gold over coloured paijamasand golden patkas with floral designs. The lady with a fan wears a two-tiered hat with an upright, outward-curving brim, while the other two attendants wear odhanis over their long hair.
The scene is set within a palace courtyard with a low latticed golden balustrade set either side of some white steps leading up from stylised beds of white flowers. Behind the hut a low white barricade stands in front of a lake with water lilies and ducks. Behind this there is a taller white wall with an ornamental window opening leading the eye through to a regular row of rounded leafy trees alternating with coupled, narrow cyprus trees. These are silhouetted against a reddening sky denoting sunset with a band of orange clouds below a dark blue sky with streaks of lighter-coloured clouds.
The painted is framed with gold lines and strips of pale pink paper patterned with a scrolling motif in gold with additional lines in white and black. An outer blue line has been painted on the main border over its floral decoration of a single row of alternate pink lilies and red poppies, which are detailed and outlined in gold on its ivory-coloured ground. The margins of the page have strips of red paper with gold, blue and white inner outlines. A crimson-coloured strip of paper has been attached to the inner margin as a gutter for the album binding.

Place of Origin

India (north, made)

Date

18th century (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Opaque watercolour and gold on paper.

Marks and inscriptions

the numeral '48 inscribed in pencil

Dimensions

Height: 24 cm central painting, Width: 17 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.

Production Note

probably mid 18th century possibly painted in Avadh

Materials

Paper; Gold; Opaque watercolour

Subjects depicted

Costume; Princesses

Categories

Paintings

Collection code

SSEA