Johnson 36,1-36

J.36,1-36

Thirty-six paintings comprising a ‘ragamala’ series, arranged according to Hanuman’s system.

Murshidabad, c.1760.

Richard Johnson Collection. Purchased 1807.

Each picture inscribed on reverse with verses of Harivallabha’s Hindi translation of the ‘Sangita-darpana.’

Gouache with gold, within borders of floral design; related designs on reverse.

Miniatures and designs on reverse 320 by 215 mm (approx.); page 393 by 290 mm.

Exhibited: British Empire Exhibition, 1924; Heath (1924), no.39.

Published: Randle (1941), 167-69; Ebeling (1973), 207, no.85; Waldschmidt (1975), 544, no.45.

Discussed: Shirreff in Mss Eur D500/3.

Note: The border designs correspond with the border of the reverse side of the following page in the series, so that the borders are uniform for each place of opening of the album. On the reverse of each page is an elaborate design, also fully finished in gouache with gold, which incorporates the Hindi verses of Harivallabha’s translation from the Sanskrit of the ‘Sangita-darpana,’ and the identification of the ‘ragamala’ subject in Persian with an indication of the appropriate time and season. These designs fall into six categories according to the six’ ragas’:’ Bhairava’ - arrangements of flowers in vases; ‘Malkos’ - mammals in landscapes; ‘Hindola -’ panels of flowers and floral designs; ‘Dipaka -’ birds in trees, with fruit or blossom; Sri - water scenes with ships or creatures; ‘Megha’ - birds in trees, in leaf or blossom. The feature of this ‘ragamala’ is that the artists have evidently referred to the text concerned for their interpretation of each subject. The album is now bound in green half-calf gilt. The pages have been numbered from the wrong end, but are in their original order as shown by the borders which match ‘verso’ to ‘recto’ throughout.