Maru Ragaputra of Malkos Raga, India, Pahari, Chamba, circa 1690-1700

gouache with gold on paper, red border, inscriptions on reverse in Takri and Devanagari,

Formerly in the Mandi Royal Collection.
Private Collection, Germany.

In the Pahari painting tradition the Ragamala iconography of Maru Ragaputra shares that of Nat Ragini in the Rajasthani tradition - a warrior on horseback in combat with foot soldiers (for comparison see Ebeling, Ragamala Painting, Paris and New York, 1973, p.232, no.154, p.277, no.316).

This well-known series was previously attributed to Bilaspur, but was recently re-attributed by Catherine Glynn to Chamba, circa 1690-1700 (see Glynn in Glynn, Skelton and Dallapiccola, Ragamala Paintings from India, London, 2011, pp.34-35). For other examples from this series see Glynn, Skelton and Dallapiccola, op.cit., nos.7-9; Sotheby's, London, 24 May 2007, lots 1-4; 16 June 2009, lot 23; Sotheby's, New York, 22 March 2007, lots 152, 153; Galloway and Kwiatkowski (eds.), Treasures from India, London, 2006, cat.50; Losty and Galloway, Paintings from the Royal Courts of India, London, 2008, cats.35-36.