Description:

ABDUR REHMAN CHUGHTAI (1897–1975), RADHA & KRISHNA
Lahore, Pakistan, mid-20th century

Description:
Watercolour on paper; a romantic composition depicting the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna seated together in a serene forest setting, with Krishna playing the bansuri (flute) and Radha resting affectionately beside him. The use of soft pastel tones with delicate detailing and a gentle glow exemplifies Abdur Rehman Chughtai’s signature fusion of Indo-Persian miniature traditions with modernist sensibilities. Signed by the artist in Urdu in red at the top left corner.

Dimensions: 36 x 25 cm

The work is accompanied by a 2022 authentication report from Dr. Marcella Sirhandi of Oklahoma State University, a notable scholar on South Asian modernists.

Provenance:

  • Syed Danish Shakil

  • Syed Shakeel Mian

  • Acquired by Shaibzada Jaffer, cousin to Nawab Murtaza Ali Khan of Rampur, in 1990

  • Thence by descent

Comparable examples:

  • Abdur Rehman Chughtai, "Lover’s Melody", watercolour on paper, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 24 October 2022, Lot 127, for £13,750.

  • "The Flute Player", Abdur Rehman Chughtai, watercolour and ink, Christie’s South Kensington, 10 June 2011, Lot 148, realised £11,250.

  • "Radha Krishna", Chughtai, similar subject and medium, sold at Sotheby’s London, Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art, 20 October 2020, Lot 39, for £15,000.

Note:
Chughtai is widely considered Pakistan’s first significant modern artist, drawing upon Mughal, Islamic, and Hindu aesthetics to craft deeply poetic visual narratives. His depictions of Radha and Krishna embody spiritual love and transcendental harmony. Works authenticated by Dr. Sirhandi are particularly prized for their scholarly validation.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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