a marigold plant

Physical description

The marigold plant is painted on the plain buff ground of the paper. It is shown as a plant growing out of miniature tufts of grass with branching leaf stems, two buds and three yellow blooms on slender stems. The detailing of the stems, leaves and flowers are rendered by hatching and outlining in darker tones. The painting has an inner border of strips of beige paper outlined in black lines at the outer edge and lines in gold and green on its inner side, picked out with a red innermost ruled line. The main border is of a plain buff colour with strips of grey paper and black rulings at its outer margins and a beige-coloured strip on the inner edge which acts as a gutter for the binding of the album.

Place of Origin

India (north, probably made in Avadh, made)

Date

late 17th - early 18th century (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Opaque watercolour on paper

Marks and inscriptions

Persian inscription in red and black numerals at the lower part of the painting

Dimensions

Height: 22.2 cm central painting, Width: 12.2 cm central apinting, Diameter: 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

Flower study, Small Clive Album

Materials

Paper; Watercolour; Gold

Subjects depicted

Flowers (plants)

Categories

Paintings

Collection code

SSEA