571 SOLD Company School Mica Painting - Sati or Suttee - Rituals & Festivals series - 1

Sold to a discerning Antique Art-Lover

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Company School Mica Painting depicting a Sati (Suttee) ritual

Benares or Patna

This antique Indian miniature painting on mica depicts the ritual of sati where a Hindu widow would burn herself on her husband's funeral pyre. The widow is dressed like a bride and is on her funeral pyre while huge crowds of onlookers have gathered to watch.

There are caparisoned elephants and horses carrying members of royalty.

The subject matter of this painting, "sati", is not one that is found very often on these Company School mica paintings.

Mica paintings were usually made in sets depicting occupations, servants, dancing girls, modes of transport, costumes, temples and festivals.

In her book "Company Drawings in the India Office Library", Mildred Archer catalogs just one example of a "sati scene" by a Benares artist (p.54) .

Watercolor or gouache painting on mica.

The painting measures 9.25 x 6.6 inches.

It is in very good condition.

Age Unknown

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This item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist/user. Signs of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.

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