An illustration from a Ragamala series: Kumbha Putra of Sri Raga, a gentleman receives water from a girl at a well, Basohli, circa 1690-95

gouache on paper, inscribed in takri script above the painting, collection label affixed to reverse

Alice Boney, New York & Tokyo
Acquired in 1967

In generally good overall condition, loss to upper left hand corner and stain to lower centre, minor losses to leaf edges, as viewed.
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In this Ragamala illustration, which represents the sound of water issuing from a vessel, a passing gentleman asks for water from a girl who is filling her waterpot at a well. It probably comes from a series known as the "Second Basohli Ragamala" of circa 1690-95 (Archer 1973, vol.1, p.43), that blends the earliest idioms of Basohli painting with features that occur after about 1680. There is a stark and powerful simplicity in the conception of these subjects, reflecting the earlier phase of the style, while a new painterly accomplishment has been added. The use of strong blocks of colour here is particularly effective, the stone disc of the well contrasting with the hot orange background and forming a wheel of action on which the two figures act out the raga. For other Pahari versions of the same Ragamala subject, see Archer 1973, vol.I, p.333, no.13(xxvii), vol.II, p.249, no.13(xxvii); Seyller and Mittal 2014, pp.22-3, no.3; Ebeling 1973, p.288 (not illustrated); Randhawa 1971, pp.58-59, col.pl.XVII; Tanden 1983, fig.55; Los Angeles 1976, pp.56-57, no.46.

Ragamala ('Garland of Ragas') illustrations are visual depictions of musical modes that evoke a mood. They were widely popular subjects in Indian painting for many centuries. In the Punjab Hills, these series of paintings numbered eighty-four, whereas the usual number was thirty-six. Composed of scenes from poetic texts reflecting particular North Indian musical modes, the thirty-six were composed of ragas and their ‘wives’, raginis; in the Hills the increased number included the ‘sons’ of ragas, ragaputras. For a description of the Pahari system of Ragamalas see Ebeling 1973, p.272; Glynn, Skelton and Dallapiccola 2011, pp.31-37. 

For the few other known pages from this series, see Archer 1973, vol.I., p.43, nos.14(i-ii) vol.II, p.28, nos.14(i-ii); Ehnbom 1985, no.89; Glynn, Skelton and Dallapiccola 2011, pp.50-51, no.6; Sotheby’s, London, 29 April 1992 (The Bachofen von Echt Collection), lots 8-10; Sotheby's, London, 20 November 1986, lots 165-6; Sotheby's, London, 26 April 1991, lot 163. Another is in the San Diego Museum of Art, Edwin Binney 3rd Collection.