Lot 248: A SIKH SCHOOL MINIATURE PAINTING DEPICTING MAHARAJA DULEEP SINGH ON A TERRACE WITH ATTENDANTS, 19TH CENTURY.
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This Sikh School miniature painting is executed in watercolour on paper. The composition depicts the young Maharaja Duleep Singh (1838–1893) seated upon an ornate golden chair on a terrace. He is dressed in a vibrant orange-red jama and an elaborate turban adorned with a sarpech or aigrette. A green nimbus or halo encircles his head, signifying his royal and holy status, and he holds a long-barreled musket across his lap. To the viewer’s left are two seated elderly Sikh figures with long white beards, identified through historical iconography as Labh Singh and Tej Singh. One figure wears an orange robe over green trousers, while the other holds a sword. Standing behind the Maharaja is an attendant in a brown robe playing a flute or pipe. The scene is set against a background of soft orange and blue washes, suggesting a sunrise or sunset, and is bordered by a low, carved marble jali railing. The base of the painting features a decorative frieze of floral motifs within individual arched niches.
Approximately 30 x 19.5cm
Condition report:
The painting is in generally good condition for its age. There is visible wear and minor pigment loss along the edges and corners of the paper. Light foxing and minor staining are present in the sky area. The outer reddish-brown border shows scuffing, chipping, and small losses of pigment. The central pigments remain stable and relatively bright.
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