Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are pleased to offer for sale this interesting and historical watercolour of the Courtyard of the Thirumalai Nayak Palace at Madurai in India. The Palace, which is ruined and only a fraction of its original size, was built in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak and partially destroyed after his death in 1659. This painting shows the courtyard as it was in the 19th Century and almost certainly predates a photograph taken in 1899 (now in the British Library and visible on google images) which shows a circular garden in the centre of the courtyard.

Please note The colouring of the watercolour is most exact in the first picture in the frame.

The remains of the palace have undergone considerable renovation since 2000 and the arches, statues above them and columns are now painted. This watercolour shows the triple columns at one end of the courtyard, whereas the columns of the other sides are large single ones, as shown to the right of the painting. The statues above the columns, level with the arches, are leonine figures with wings.

The painting depicts two Indian dignitaries getting ready to mount their elephants, which are gaily caparisoned and have their mahouts in situ. The larger elephant has a very ornate howdah, although the smaller one has a servant already mounted behind the howdah, with a sunshade in his hand, ready to shade his master. To the left of the painting are several figures and a wide flight of steps leading to the interior of the palace.

Unfortunately, the artist did not sign or initial the painting so we do not know his or her identity.

The panting has been newly double mounted in acid free mountboard to complement and is newly framed in a 1 3/8" bronze ornate frame which suits the theme of the watercolour very well.


Medium Watercolours on card