Description:

TAJ MAHAL, A LARGE ILLUSTRATION ON PAPER, UTTAR PRADESH, 19TH CENTURY
Uttar Pradesh, India, 19th century

Description:
Ink and watercolour on paper; a finely executed architectural rendering of the Taj Mahal, the iconic Mughal mausoleum in Agra. This detailed depiction showcases the monument’s symmetrical domes, minarets, and intricate façade in a delicate palette of rose, ivory, and pale ochre, highlighting Mughal artistic precision. The foreground includes geometric paving, with architectural shadowing adding depth. The work is mounted and framed in a later giltwood frame with beaded and fluted ornamentation.

Dimensions: 35.5 x 26.5 cm

This work represents the 19th-century tradition of Company School painting, wherein Indian artists catered to European tastes by documenting prominent local landmarks with technical finesse and subtle aesthetic flair. Such paintings were often collected by British officials and travellers as souvenirs.

Comparable examples:

  • A Company School painting of the Taj Mahal, c. 1830, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 25 October 2022, Lot 234, for £5,100.

  • A 19th-century watercolour view of the Taj Mahal, Agra School, sold at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 28 October 2021, Lot 189, for £4,000.

  • A similar large-format architectural study of Mughal monuments sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 1 May 2019, Lot 115, for £6,250.

Note:
Paintings of this kind were not only souvenirs but also visual records for European patrons fascinated by India’s rich architectural heritage. The precision and scale of this rendering underscore the artist’s familiarity with architectural drafting traditions and the monument’s cultural prestige.

 

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

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