A FRAGMENTARY PORTRAIT OF A MAIDEN IN A GARDEN
Mughal Provincial School, possibly Bijapur, Deccan, Central India, 18th century

Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the small vertical-format fragmentary portrait depicting a courtly maiden wrapped in a white shawl, covering all her body except for the hands and part of her knees, seated on a floral floor spread in a blossoming garden in a palatial setting, in front of her typical banqueting golden vessels including a saucer, a drinking cup, and a bottle, her gesture suggesting she is deep in conversation with another character now missing, set within gold, blue, white and black rules, pasted onto concentric gold-speckled album borders in blue, and marbled pink and white, the reverse with a dark blue card, 17.5cm x 9.5cm.

Dimensions: 17.5cm x 9.5cm