Material Distemper on cloth
Dimensions 154.5 x 129.5 cm (60.83 x 50.98 in)
Place of Creation India, Kishangarh school, c. 1730–40
Price price available upon inquiry
Status Not Vetted

About the Work

A Monumental Vision: The Pinnacle of Kishangarh Painting


This extraordinary Kishangarh painting, the largest of its kind ever to appear on the market, is a masterpiece of unparalleled scale and refinement. Created circa 1740, it embodies the poetic and ethereal qualities that define the Kishangarh school—elongated, dreamlike figures, a delicate yet sumptuous color palette, and a landscape suffused with romantic mysticism.


Measuring an impressive 154.5 x 129.5 cm (60.83 x 50.98 in), this work stands apart from any known painting of similar importance. Large-scale Kishangarh paintings of this caliber are virtually unheard of outside museum collections. The closest comparison is the Radha and Krishna painting housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which, while sharing the same period and aesthetic, is significantly smaller at 103.2 x 94.5 cm (40.6 x 37.2 in).


The style of this painting is deeply rooted in the emerging Kishangarh aesthetic, which flourished under Maharaja Sawant Singh later in the 18th century. While the refined elongated features and lyrical elegance associated with the school are already evident here, this work predates the extreme stylization seen in Nihal Chand’s later masterpieces, such as Bani Thani, where the figures become even more angular and idealized. Instead, this earlier example retains a softer, more naturalistic interpretation of divine beauty, offering a rare glimpse into the evolution of one of the most distinctive styles of Rajput painting. The ethereal figures, expressive gestures, and poetic atmosphere elevate the scene into a vision of love and devotion, encapsulating the unique artistic sensibility that would come to define Kishangarh painting.


The rarity of a Kishangarh painting of this scale, combined with its exquisite execution, makes it a truly exceptional work—one that not only embodies the refinement of this celebrated school but also represents an important stage in its artistic evolution.

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Provenance

David Tremayne Ltd., United Kingdom (1980s–1990s)
Axel and Kristin Ball Collection, Spain (1990s–2013)
UK art market, London, 2013
Private French collection, acquired from the above
French cultural passport no. 227284

View artwork at TEFAF Maastricht 2025

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