A Narrative Palindon Painting from Kamasan, Bali
The curiosity evoked from seeing something new from a different geography and a different history is delicious fodder for the mind. So when I came across a ‘calendar’ with inscriptions … Continue reading
Why paint on Yak Bone? A Himalayan Buddhist Thangka
Devotional Art comes in many forms in the Buddhist Himalayas. Thangkas are the most commonly known artworks and can be found on paper, cloth and walls in large display-worthy sizes. … Continue reading
Games of Chance – Ganjifa
A note on the beauty of antique Mysore Ganjifa Cards
Antique Painted Wood Furnishings!
I was introduced to a whole new world of art – painted wood furnishings from Persia!
Boats of Eastern India, 1800s – Company School Paintings
Seen on an auction site, these paintings give us a glimpse of the lifestyle of those times. To pursue the characters that lived these lives, watch the Netflix original series … Continue reading
Veneration of Human Spirit – Jain Painting
Heroic act spellbind us. And spur us on to do more, to push ourselves a little bit more and to give life the very best of ourselves. In Bombay, there … Continue reading
Washing Shawls in 1867
An antique Indian miniature painting from the Kyburg exhibition catalog (1988) depicts the washing of shawls The 1867 painting is possibly from Lahore, Such a treat to get a glimpse … Continue reading
Rare Antique Company School Mica Paintings
In the early-mid 1800s Mica paintings were produced as souvenirs in Murshidabad, Patna and Benares in eastern India and Trichinopoly in South India. They imitated paintings on glass. Mica, a transparent … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Painting of a Weaver – 1800s
Some art to refresh the soul!
Painted Map of Benaras – Indian Art
A pilgrim’s map of Benaras with the Kashi Vishwanath temple at the centre. Seen in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London Feb 2018 jaina mishra| wovensouls View more Exquisite Antique … Continue reading
Jai Ho Lord Jagannath
A Puri Jatri Patti artwork to celebrate the Lord Jagannath Yatra festival that is happenninf now in Puri, Odisha Jai Ho! June 2017
Life in the Years / Years in the Life
“It’s not the years in the life that matter – it is the life in the years that count”
Astrological Calendars – 3 – Astrological Birth Charts
Part 3 in the series of notes on Astrological Calendars A janampatri or kundali is a Birth Chart prepared as per Vedic Astrology. It is a particular system of prediction … Continue reading
Antique Cheriyal Painted Scroll – Art for Oral Traditions
In South Indian Paintings – A catalogue of the British Museum collection, A. L. Dallaiccola notes “Although in the past the majority of Indian people might have been illiterate, they … Continue reading
Variety of Textiles within Antique Yao / Zhuang Ceremonial Scrolls – 2
Continuing to study the diversity in the two Yao paintings, with a focus on costumes in this note. In each do take note of the composition of the costume – … Continue reading
Learning History through Art – Conquest of Kanchi & a Glass of Milk
In this painting from Odisha, Jagannath & Balabhadra are on a journey and are offered a drink of milk by milkmaid Manika. The History and Her Story: One of the … Continue reading
Antique Ayuthaya Paintings – Available for Sale
One more style of painting – one more delectable recipe that makes the senses dance int his ongoing visual feast – Ayutthaya paintings from Thailand. The subject matter relates to … Continue reading
18th Century Transport!
Painting of 18th century transport: Offered by Tremont Auction House. Sold for US$1300 (2016) jm March 2016
A Romance Unfolds through Art
A love story in an old Bracelet from Qajar Persia. Miniature Paintings on Bone some Gold illuminated, others, copper illuminated!!! Very pretty, very detailed paintings. The story is told … Continue reading
Across the Universe – A Bridge to the Other World
Each of us has wondered at some time or another about what happens when we die. Too many questions that have no answers. And then along come the religious bosses … Continue reading
Thai Paintings – Mediums of Mythology
Art of art’s sake is the rage of the day! Paintings of red dots on orange backgrounds fetch 6 figure prices and no one really seems to know why! … Continue reading
Doubt & Hope | The Saga of Antique Yao Paintings
Ever had the dreaded feeling that some precious thing was lost forever? I’d been living with that feeling for over a year now! After the ‘Vanishing Cultures’ Exhibition [click to … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix : !850s Painting on Mica
The base material is fragile – yet some of these paintings have been preserved for over 150 years! Patronised by the imperial rulers – the East India Company – the … Continue reading
Art with a Message – Balinese Painting
So many messages – so much to interpret. In these paintings it is clearly known that there is a message being communicated. The Art is secondary – the message is … Continue reading
Jatripatti – Antique Traditional Paintings of Puri, Odisha
This style of painting that has a subject focus of the temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri, India, is now extinct unfortunately. Hindus have four important pilgrimage spots -known as … Continue reading
Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum – Paintings
Paintings are all two-dimensional and we view them in the plane that is perpendicular to the plane in which both our eyes lie. So if a painting is mounted on … Continue reading
Salar Jung Museum – Indian Miniature Painting Collection
The best places to train the eye in any category of art or antiques, are museums and reputed dealers. In a single location a diverse set is viewable. In most … Continue reading
Puri Pattachitra – Art from the Past – Addendum
The Puri Pattachitra has delighted me once again! Presenting another work of art from Orissa, depicting the Jagannath temple of Puri. The pictures – taken on my iphone in a … Continue reading
An evening of learning with a Guru : Shri Jagdish Mittal
A few years ago, when I acquired some old paintings that I knew nothing about but loved enough to acquire, I was directed to speak with Shri Jagdish Mittal from … Continue reading
