AN INDIAN MAHARAJA ENJOYING A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE AMERICAN COLLECTION
Bundi, Rajasthan, North-Western India, second half 18th century

Opaque pigments heightened with gold on wove paper, the horizontal composition depicting a musical performance scene with a whirling female dancer accompanied by five white-clad musicians, the entertainers performing under a caparisoned palanquin in front of a ruler smoking a huqqa, possibly Raja Dip Singh (1650 - 1667) of Bilaspur, behind him two standing attendants, one holding a fan and the latter a fly-whisk, in the background lush tall palms and bouquets of floral blossoms, the scene set within black and bright red borders, at the top and on the back two lines of faded black ink Devanagari script, 25.3cm x 31cm.

At the V&A Museum in London (acc. no. IS.120-1954) and LACMA in Los Angeles (acc. no. M.86.417.2), there are two paintings depicting Raja Dip Singh. Both of them present strong similarities with the present lot like the subject of the composition and the ruler's attire, especially his long white gown and gold-embroidered dark red turban with a tall aigrette.