Indian Miniature Paintings, 1410-1976

A four-armed Vishnu comes out of the mouth of his incarnation as a fish and a demon in a shell appears dead in the water around him. The four vedas are seen seated on a lotus coming from Vishnu's navel.

Flanked by two crowned attendants holding fly whisks the nude blue Nemi stands under tree umbrellas in front of a tree. Two angel like winged figures shower him with white flower petals. In the foreground two figures beat drums flanking a white conch, a symbol of Nemi.

The four-headed Brahma sits in front of a fire with an attendant holding a fly whisk to the fight and a lady an attendant sits facing him against architecture. Two other ladies are in a garden below the terrace.

A lady playing a harp rides a composite camel which is lead by a horned demon.

Shah Shuja holding a lance sits on a throne on a platform in the middle of his army facing his son Sultan Zaynul-Abidin, who approaches him.

Shiva with four arms sits on a lotus to the left and Devi also with four arms sits on a lotus to the right on a wide throne. Siva's bull and Devi's tiger are seen below the throne. A parasol is placed over each of the figures.

A four-armed blue jeweled male figure stands between smaller female figure.

Satrajit is given the gem by the sun at the extreme top left and the sage tells the story in a box at the center top. Satrajit's brother rides out wearing the gem at the left top and is killed by a lion which in turn is killed by the bear Jambavan. Krishna goes out searching for the bodies and then enters the cave of Jambavan at the left bottom and fights him. Krishna recovers the gem and returns to the city at the right with Jambavan's daughter as his bride.

Wedding ceremony taking place under chamiana held up with palm fronds in courtyard with palace building behind. The ride and groom in red and gold walk around the fire with priest in white squatting next to it. Musicians and singers in the foreground and women seated in pavilion on the terrace above.

Three-quarter view of a lady with one hand holding jewelry and the other raised to her bust. Set in elaborate gold and colored borders.

Sketch of a prince standing at a western style chair wearing an elaborate jeweled turban./ Full length drawing of a young bear-less youth wearing a tight turban and holding a sword in his left hand. Sketch of an elaborate piece of furniture to his left.

Te gateway to the Taj Mahal

A man and a woman embrace in a pavilion while there attendant stands to the side and looks away. Flowering trees beyond the building's roof and a row of flowering sprigs in the foreground.

Ratan Sen and Padmavati sit with the parrot between them in a pavilion.

The green Parshva with a snake hood around his head sitting on a throne held aloft by a fourhanded goddess. The snakes Dharanendra and Padmavati have human figures coming out of their mouths. Against a orange ground set under a white curved arch.

Maharaja Gaja Singh sits against a bolster on a small carpet on a carpeted terrace facing three courtiers who sit facing him. A standing servant and seated courtier are behind him. An elaborate hall to the right and lush vegetation behind the terrace with a garden with a fountain in the foreground.

A blue lady sits in a wild landscape with a snake in one hand and an ankusha (elephant goad made of flowers in the other. Various snakes and birds attend her.

Two princes kneel before a bearded ascetic in front of a hut.

A jina sits on a tiered throne surrounded by ten figures, both mendicants and lay people, who adore him. The text is written in gold against a red ground and the entire folio is decorated.

An ascetic sits in front of a small pavilion by a lotus pond facing a lady. A cat and an attendant are in the pavilion and another cat is behind the lady. Distant view of city in background.

Radha reclines on couch with a gopi at her head while Krishna kneels at the foot, by the side of a lotus pond. Lush vegetation behind them.

Devided into multiple registers on three levels, Krishna and Balarama are seen greeting various figure in the top, embracing various figures in the center and other figures ride off in bullock carts on the bottom

Four ladies kneel on a terrace overlooking a lotus pond. One plays a vina-like instrument and another offers something to drink to another.

The monkey Hanuman striding on a demon carries small figures of Rama and Lakshman on his shoulders.

The sixteen lucky dreams of Queen Shiva, Nemi's mother. Arranged in two rows of eight: an elephant, a bull, a lion, Lakshmi, two garlands, the moon, the sun, two fish. A full jar, a pond, an ocean, a throne, a heavenly vehicle, a mansion from the netherworld, a pile of jewels, and a fire.

A blue Nemi sits on a stand between two crowned figures who pour water over his head from gold posts. A white crescent shape is beneath them and a zigzag river flows below. At the bottom dancers and musicians flank the stream. At the top to the left other crowned figures hand the water pots to the two who lustrate Nemi. On the right are a group of auspicious symbols.

A man holding an elephant goad sits on an elephant.

A lady with her hand to her face sits with an old crone under a canopy on a terrace.

A standing lady holds a flask and a cup against a green background.

A lady holding pink lotuses sits on a terrace facing an attendant holding two more.

A dressed and crowned Shiva and Uma sit facing each other on a black inlayed platform in a garden divided into squares of flowers. Shiva's bull crouches int he foreground. In the hilly background a small figure sits meditating while another stands and worships the rising sun.

The nayak (hero) confronts the nayika (heroine) in a courtyard while walls zigzag to cut the scene into various compartments. A man stands at a doorway in the center and a groom waits with a saddled and bridled horse outside the door.

A mustachioed man sits with a pink handkerchief in his lap wearing a gold and black. turban/ There is a scribbled drawing of a head with jewels.

Man kneels on a rug before a pavilion with an awning attended by a lady. Lamps are lit in front of him and to the side

The four-headed Brahma sits enthroned by a sacrificial fire attended by a lady. The sky is full of stars.

Two horsemen face each other and one swings a sword at and he other pierces a wild boar. Two dogs attack the animal as well.

Maharaja Sher Singh is seated against a bolster in an elaborate hall with three figures seated facing him, one unlabelled the others labeled Hira Singh and Sucet Singh. Behind the Maharaja sit Dhian Singh [?] and Gulab Singh. An attendant stand above them.

Sita is seen in captivity at the top left and Hanuman flies through the air towards the city. At the right, Ravana has been slain and his many heads are scattered. His wives grieve and Rama reassures them. To the left in the foreground Rama and Lakshman greet Sita who is accompanied by crowned monkeys. Other monkeys and bears and a crowned man surround them.

The goddess sits outside of a hut on a mat with a deer in front of her and five figures approach her from the right. They are the fourheaded Brahma, the blue Vishnu, a mustached figure with a club, a sage (Narada) with a vina, and a young man.

A man bare to the waist in a dhoti faces his wife wearing what appears to be a nine yard sari with no choli (blouse) against a plain blue background.

Vishnu emerges from a large white fish with four arms surmounted by a multi headed snake hood. The demon who had stolen the Vedas sits on a shell.

Buddha sits in mediation with flowers behind him.

A prince on horseback accepts some water from a pouted vessel offered by one of four ladies standing on the high well. Large tree above the well to the right and distant view of a town nestled up against a hill to the left.

Rustam on horseback lassoing a large black demon in a rocky landscape.

Krishna and others in armor and in chariots with an army shoot arrows and a snake weapon towards a host of gods and demons including Shiva on his bull Nandi and with his children the six-headed Karttikeya and the elephant-headed Ganesha.

A human figure in the shape of the loka-akasha (the Jaina universe) stands with colored squares making pyramid shapes above and below his waist which represents the world of man.

Shiva as half man and half woman sits on a leopard skin under a tree.

Surajamala-ji kneels holding a bow and arrow ready to shoot in a colorful landscape.

A four-armed Vishnu sits on a lotus on top of the pillar like mountain which is placed on the back of the tortoise Kurma in the sea of milk. Using the mountain like a fulcrum and Vishnu's snake as a rope the gods stand to the left and the demons to the right. On the ground above the sea the various products of this churning are arranged.

An ascetic sits on an animal skin on a rock with a tree behind him.

A man stands in front of his horse and stoops over to drink from a stream. A tree with squirrels and birds arches into the plain background.

An elephant that has been chained to a post has lifted it out of the ground and hobbles off.

Full length portrait of the haloed Navab Tarbiyyat Khan holding a crutch like arm rest.

Contained in foliate arches, Matsya (the fish), Kurma (the tortoise), Varaha (the Boar), Narasimha (the Man-lion), and Vamana (the dwarf)

Contained in foliate arches, the blue Rama with a bow, the yellow Parashurama with an ax, the blue Krishna, the white Balarama, and Kalki mounted on a horse.

Numerous gods on their various mounts are arranged on the left confronting a larger group of demons surrounding the demon Mahisha in a golden chariot.

A multi-armed goddess sits in the center of inverted triangles and the center is encircled with text and sacred symbols. At each corner is a horrific god and the nine plants are seen in the spaces at the cardinal points. At the top are palm leaves with an eye to either side and an the bottom a Jaina monk offers obeisance.

Oval portrait of Tipu Sultan wearing a jeweled turban seated against a bolster.

A Man and woman sit in a pavilion on a terrace with lamps arranged before them.

Radha and Krishna stand against a green ground with small gene scenes behind them: a gopa leads cows, a cow nurses her calf, and gopas play near a pond with fish.

A carpenter sits over a work box and is surrounded by his tools.

Sita stands before a horse and confronts a large group of warriors, some mounted and carrying shields.

Ladies sit on a terrace at night with the distant sky full of fireworks.

A blue skinned lady sits against bolsters in a courtyard while her attendant stands behind her. An elaborate pavilion is in the background.

Krishna in a red bower with attendants looks at Radha and other gopis at the edge of a pond.

Krishna dressed in white gestures towards a standing woman holding a stringed instrument. Three ladies with instruments stand behind him. The group is backed by tress and there is a pond with lotuses and egrets in the foreground.

A prince mounted on a horse accepts some water from a lady who stands with three other woman at a well. Distant view of white screened wall in the background and two huntsmen with deer and a hunting falcon int he foreground.

Saint naked to the waist, wearing a red lower garment, sits in niche reading,

Krishna sits in a bower seated on a chair surrounded by gopis while the haloed Radha stands on a terrace with others.

Bust portrait of the haloed Emperor Alamgir (r. 1658-1707) holding a turban jewel against a dark background. Framed with elaborate borders.

Krishna sits under a tree with an attendant holding a fly-whisk behind him as another figure offers him a pot.

The Mughal emperor Ahmad Shah (r. 1748-1754) seated on throne with attendant to either side. Mounted in decorated borders in gold.

Ruler seated on a throne in elaborate garden setting with three attendants. elaborate gold floral border, with some color added.

Akbar stands in a tent with a falcon on his arm attended by three men and three small children painted in diminished scale.

A princess sits against a bolster flanked by two attendants opposite a yogini playing a vina.

Krishna sports with gopis outside a pavilion with a row of trees and a stormy sky behind them. Elaborate foliate borders.

Ascetic meets with a prince between two pavilions. Musician and horse with groom in the foreground.

The king Kamsa sits in a pavilion with a lady holding a fly-whick behind him and greets a mendicant. Outside stand four fanciful demons.

Courtier with a lady who turns from him sit in a pavilion with steps going up its side to the roof.

Divided into three registers, Queen Trishala dreams of fourteen things which are depicted in the space to the right of her and in rows in the two other registers.

Karnati sits playing a stringed instrument facing another female musician playing another stringed instrument. A attendant stands to the right holding a fly-whisk.

Shiva sits on a tiger skin in a cave and Parvati kneels before him with her hands in namaskar. A red colored Ganesha stands behind her holding a fly-whisk. In the foreground Shiva's bull, Nandi< and Parvati's tiger recline against green grounds encircled by rock split in the center to let the water [the river Ganges] flow from Shiva's locks.

To the left, Krishna drawing a bow stands before a large golden bird (Garuda?). Balarama and another figure with a bow stand above Krishna and the bird. To the right a chariot with a horse dead in its traces and two dead bodies in he center and one with a severed head to the far right. In the middle a dying crowned demon who has had most of his many arms shot off by Krishna still raises his last one in defiance.

The Thakur sits on a terrace smoking a hookah with a pot of betel leaves before him and a sword and shield arranged below him in the foreground. Flowering sprigs are seen over the balcony framing the figure of the man.

Shuja-ud-daula stands with one hand hanging down. A second study for the hand is to the side as is a study for his right hand holding a sword hilt.

Four ladies play a board game on a terrace against an elaborately decorated pavilion with an awning. Small tables with perfumes and fruits surround them.

Courtiers in a landscape looking to the proper left.

Kishore Das sits against a bolster with a smaller one at his side all of the same pattern as the carper. He holds prayer beads in his right hand and a flower in his upraised left hand. His sword and shield lie in the foreground and an attendant stands behind him apparently on the other side of the terrace.

A girl sits in a chair smoking a hookah on a terrace with vegetation behind the terrace.

The register to the left has a sage teaching to three smaller figures placed in two registers. The register to the right has birds arranged around a flowering tree.

Rama fights Parashurama while Sita and Lakshman stand behind him on the left and Bharata visits Rama, Lakshman and Sita on a hill to the right./ Rama fights Viradha dressed in armor with Sita and Lakshman behind him on the left and Rama and Sita (both seated) meet Atri and Anusya on the right.

Solomon sits on his throne in discussion with a holy man and surrounded by attendants and animals./ Three columns of nastaliq text with an illuminated heading above, surrounded by decorated border.

As a lion mauls a man Shah Jahan raises a sword to kill the lion who has a man's head in its mouth. Another man spears the lion, a third draws his sword, while a fourth falls back and a fifth runs away.