"North Indian School (19th Century) - The Maharaja And The Maharani"
Oil under glass. This scene, carefully executed on a neutral background, clearly falls within the Indian pictorial tradition of the 18th and 19th centuries, probably of the Rajput or Pahari tradition, where small-format painting – on paper or glass – focused on courtly, amorous, or devotional scenes. It depicts an elegantly dressed couple, situated in an open space with a low horizon, a typical arrangement that prioritizes human interaction at the expense of the landscape. The man, of noble appearance, wears a white tunic edged in gold and a turban decorated with floral motifs; he also carries a sword and a circular shield, indisputable symbols of rank and honor. The woman, meanwhile, wears a ghagra, or long skirt in red and blue tones, richly decorated with floral motifs, and a tight-fitting choli that reveals the delicate transparencies of the veil and sleeves. The gesture they share—holding hands, contemplating each other serenely—suggests a scene of love or reconciliation, a recurring motif in Indian miniatures inspired by Persian and Hindu literature (such as the Ragamala cycles or the stories of Krishna and Radha). The painter seems to have wanted to capture the tension between desire and courtesy, characteristic of the conventions of courtly love. The composition, though simple, reveals a refined sensibility: the figures are outlined with a firm line, and the colors, applied in thin layers, form an enameled surface that suggests reverse glass painting, a technique widely practiced in Gujarat and at the court of Mysore in the 19th century. The light, diffuse and without a clear source, gives the figures an ethereal aura, as if the scene were more myth than reality. In short, this work perfectly illustrates how modern Indian painting fused courtly iconography and poetic emotion, transforming a simple encounter into an allegory of idealized love and the balance between power and grace. - Dimensions of the unframed image: 34 x 50 cm / 48 x 64 cm in an exceptional antique frame.