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A MINIATURE PAINTING OF DESAKHYA RAGINI IN MALLAKHAMBA, RAJASTHAN
奥地利
12月16日 晚上6点 开拍 /6天18小时
拍品描述

Description

A MINIATURE PAINTING OF DESAKHYA RAGINI IN MALLAKHAMBA, RAJASTHAN

India, Jaipur, 18th century. Opaque pigments and gilt on paper. Finely painted to depict the ragini Desakhya in a contortionist pose at the center of the scene performing mallakhamba atop a vertical pole (khambha). She is surrounded by various male athletes and wrestlers (malla), who test their strength, agility, and endurance through wrestling, weightlifting, handstands, and archery, while a musician provides a harmonious accompaniment to the vibrant ensemble.

Provenance: From a private collection in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The back inscribed in pencil, ‘Radschputana [formerly a common term for Rajasthan] Schule um 17. Jahrh.’
Condition: Old wear, creasing, soiling, losses mainly to pigments, tears, light fading, some areas of repair.

Dimensions: Size 19.7 x 15.6 cm (excl. frame), 47.1 x 37.1 cm (incl. frame)

Mounted and framed. (2)

The present miniature painting belongs to a distinguished family of illustrations known as Ragamala, literally ‘garland of ragas’, a traditional Indian art form that visually interprets ragas, classical musical modes or patterns within the Indian classical music system. Each Ragamala painting depicts a specific raga through evocative scenes that express particular emotions, seasons, times of day, and often incorporate mythological or romantic figures. Originating in India during the 16th century, these miniature paintings gained widespread popularity, especially in regions such as Rajasthan and Punjab.

The musical mode of Desakh in Rajasthani Ragamalas is frequently personified as an acrobat, athlete, or wrestler. A Sanskrit couplet vividly captures the raga’s mood as fierce and vigorous:

‘With quick resounding slapping of body, hair standing on end, long arms held back and checked, tall, fierce… splendid as the moon, such is Desakh Raga in the form of a wrestler’. Another verse describes Desakh as a ‘strong, bareheaded wrestler’, while yet others portray it as a brawny, beautiful, and heroic woman. This melody is traditionally performed during the early hours of the day in the rainy season.

Mallakhamba is a traditional sport from the Indian subcontinent that involves gymnasts performing aerial yoga and gymnastic postures using wrestling grips on a stationary vertical pole. The term ‘mallakhamba’ also refers to the pole itself, typically crafted from shisham (Indian rosewood) and polished with castor oil. Variants of the sport employ a cane or rope instead of a pole.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related miniature painting of Desakhya Ragini from the Ragamala series, India, Rajasthan, Jaipur, dated 18th century, opaque watercolor on paper, 29.5 x 22.0 cm, in the Museum Rietberg, Zürich, inventory number RVI 823.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Paris, 18 November 2013, lot 115
Price: EUR 13,125 or approx. EUR 17,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A painting of Desakhya Ragini, India, Rajasthan, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject with acrobatic figures performing equivalent exercises related to the art of war. Note the similar size (23.0 x 15.5 cm).

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拍品估价:350 - 700 欧元 起拍价格:350 欧元  买家佣金: 30.00%

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