A MOMENT OF PLEASURE ON A TERRACE BY A LOTUS POND
PROPERTY FROM A LONDON PRIVATE COLLECTION
Possibly Devgarh, Rajasthan, North-Western India, 19th century

Opaque pigments, silver and gold on paper, the horizontal composition depicting a moment of intimacy at night between a Rajput ruler, possibly Khet Singh, and his favourite courtesan, the couple portrayed seated on a terrace overlooking a lotus pond animated by white ducks, the pink-clad ruler holding his half-naked female companion tight whilst she offers him a drinking cup, behind them a typical white marble pavilion with several niches filled with small cups, ewers and rosewater sprinklers, two floral pietra dura panels at the entrance suggesting a setting in Northern India, lush exotic vegetation surrounding the palace, set within black and white rules, and yellow and bright red borders, the reverse presenting several notes and the purple stamp of the personal collection of the Maharaja of Bikaner, marked with a date (24th August 1964) and inventory number '4757' in pencil, mounted on a white cardboard, glazed, and framed, the painting 21.5cm x 30.7cm, 38.4cm x 45cm including the frame.