λ A POLYCHROME-PAINTED, IVORY-INLAID TAMBURA WITH HINDU ICONOGRAPHY
Possibly Gwalior State or Maharashtra, Central India, mid to late 19th century

The long-necked, once four-stringed, hardwood instrument carved in the round, visually resembling a simplified sitar with a prominent, rounded drum, the exterior painted in polychromes and inlaid with ivory and coloured woods, the neck with seven musicians and acrobats climbing up a long yellow pole on the front and floral scrollwork on the reverse, the drum with the beloved couple of Krishna dancing with Radha amidst floral stems with thick foliage, surrounded by a group of gopis dancing the ras lila with Krishna (rasamandala) multiplying himself several times, flanked by the larger figures of a sitar player, the sage Narada, Shiva with the Trident and Brahma with the Vedas, all set against an ochre yellow ground, the front of the drum painted with a seated figure of the elephant-headed god Ganesha flanked by a pair of peacocks, a Ram Durbar scene with enthroned Rama and Sita attended by Hanuman and Lakshmana respectively, and two holy cows below, the sides and edges decorated with ivory-inlaid geometric motifs and fretwork bands, the drum 25cm diam., the instrument 97cm high.

An almost identical example of our tambura is part of the South and South East Asian Art collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. no. IM.238-1922). Possibly made in Shivpuri, Gwalior State, Central India, in the second half of the 19th century, this tambura was acquired in Pune, Maharashtra, by the late Colonel John Biddulph (1840 - 1922) and entered the museum's collection upon his passing. Both examples are decorated with an analogous decorative programme, repeated in identical format and featuring beloved Hindu deities, vegetal motifs and geometric patterns. This suggests that several were made in the region and that the V&A tambura is not a one-off. Considering their profuse decoration, stringed instruments like ours and the one at the V&A would have most likley been created for display or for use at court. Another ivory-inlaid tambura painted with Hindu deities showing minor variations to our theme, once belonging to Richard Burnett, an eminent collector of musical instrument, was recently sold at Sotheby's London, 31 March 2021, lot 90. Oliver Hoare also had an example in his collection, which was sold at Christie' London in his Single Owner auction, 25 October 2019, lot 4. For three further comparable instruments in museums' collection , please see the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc. no. 89.4.189; acc. no. 46.34.64; acc. no. 1994.498).

The item within this lot containing ivory has been registered in accordance with the Ivory Act (Section 10), reference no VMYUA69V.

It may also require Export or CITES licences in order to leave the UK. It is the buyer's responsibility to ensure that lots have the relevant licences before shipping.

Dimensions: the drum 25cm diam., the instrument 97cm high