AN INDIAN MINIATURE DRAWING OF A PRINCE AND PRINCESS ENJOYING A MUSIC RECITAL India, Delhi, 18^th century. Ink and watercolor on paper. A Ragamala illustration to the musical mode Pancham Ragini, depicting a prince and princess seated in a pavilion on a terrace, a female attendant holding a fly-whisk behind them, the royal couple listening to two female musicians playing string instruments.

Inscriptions: To the top border, ‘Pancham Ragini’. To reverse with a lengthy inscription and (in English), ‘Indian. Mughal. 42:16.481’.

Provenance: Collection of Arthur B. Michael, 1942. Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, acquired from the above, accession number 42:16.481. The reverse of the mat with a handwritten paper label from the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, stating the accession number and, “Indian, mid 18^th century. Group of People. […] watercolor and ink on paper […] Bequest Arthur Michael”.
Condition: Good condition with old wear, minor soiling, few small tears and losses, possibly with minuscule old touchups. Matted.

Dimensions: Image size 12.6 x 8.3 cm, Folio size 16.3 x 11.8, Mat size 25.4 x 20.4 cm

Note the extremely fine drawing, which holds up to even very strong magnification, and would have made appropriate coloration impossible at the time.

Auction result comparison: Compare a study for Ragamala illustrations, to verso and recto of the same folio, dated circa 1680, painted mostly with ink and only few details in red, at Sotheby’s London in the Sven Gahlin Collection on 6 October 2015, lot 91, sold for GBP 6,250.