Gouache, black pigment and gilt on rice (?) paper; page from a book, text in black pigment above a miniature illustration of a battle scene. The page is framed in a gilt frame with green matting, under glass, with the sight size measuring approx. 4" x 5-1/2", and with the framing overall 9-1/2" x 10-3/4". Verso with an attached facsimile of the back of the page and a handwritten note. The note that accompanies the piece reads: "Page is on rise paper, taken from a complete book which is no longer in one piece. Script is sanskrit, which describes the second chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita (one of the Hindu Holy Books). The second chapter deals with the sons of Pratha and Bharatha who are about to slay their enemy. They question their fathers and express grief and pity for their enemy. To this their fathers reply by saying how unimportant the body is, how the soul is the only eternal part of man. The basic message behind the second chapter seems to be a justification of war and killing in general. Regarding the painting: it was probably painted in the mid 18th century by the Rajasthan school in Northern India. The school was for many centuries, a key center for Indian arts. It consisted of many artists and apprentices who did commissioned work for the kings of India. Since the school employed many artists, it was impossible to identify the particular one who painted this piece."
400/800 Sold $299.00
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