ARTS OF INDIA

34
VALLABHACHARYA’S VISION ON THE BANK OF THE YAMUNA
NATHDWARA, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 1850
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the holy man sits on a white
mat trimmed with gold, his face with a gold halo, Krishna as Shri Nathji appears
before him together with Balarama and another infant, peacocks and peahens
around, surrounded by luxuriant trees inhabited with birds, the silver Yamuna in the
foreground, in trimmed yellow borders
9.1/5 x 12¬in. (23.1 x 32.1cm.)
£2,000-3,000 $2,900-4,300
€2,500-3,700
PROVENANCE:
Acquired prior to 1991
EXHIBITED:
Die Welt der hofschen Malerei, Stuttgart
LITERATURE:
Joachim Bautze, Die Welt der hofschen Malerei, Stuttgart, 1995, p.174, no. 158
Vallabhacharya is the founder of the Pushtimarg, or Path of Grace, a Vaishanava
equalitarian sect centered on the life of Lord Krishna as described in 10th book of
the Bhagavata-purana. Vallabhacharya was born in a Brahmin family of religious
scholars in South India. After his philosophical and religious education he is said
to have debated with and defeated scholars and philosophers at the court of
Vijayanagara before performing three pilgrimages in India during which he spread
the creed of Pushtimarg and experienced an apparition of Shrinatji, a manifestation
of Krishna, at Mount Govardhan. In his vision, Vallabhacharya sees three toddlers
crawling towards him: the blue-skinned Krishna, a golden-skinned boy who is
yet to be born and Balarama, Krishna’s elder brother. Vallabha’s wife gave birth
to two sons: Gopinathji, who was believed to be Krishna’s brother Balarama and
Vittalnathji, who was said to be Krishna himself. Vittalnathji eventually succeded
his father. For a related version of this vision see Madhuvanti Ghose (ed.): Gates of
the Lord. The Tradition of Krishna Paintings. Chicago, 2015, p.72, no.9.
35
AN ASSEMBLY OF VAISHNAVA PANDITS
NATHDWARA, RAJASTHAN, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 1850
Opaque pigments heightened with gold, a plump bare-chested priest sits facing
forward on a white mat, other devotees around him sit on a large red carpet with
gold and white foliage, some recite prayers, a garland of green leaves above, with
green borders decorated with silver foliage
13¡ x 15Ωin. (34 x 39.4cm.)
£2,000-3,000 $2,900-4,300
€2,500-3,700
PROVENANCE:
Sotheby’s, London, 18 October 1996, lot 36.
The tilaks (marks on the forehead) indicate that these men and their sons are
followers of a certain aspect of Vishnu. One of the manuscripts starts with an
invocation (śrī gopījanavallabha) which is common in texts belonging to the
Vallabhacharyas or followers of the pushti marg.
36
GARUDA DEVOURS ELEPHANTS
PROBABLY UDAIPUR, MEWAR, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 1760
Opaque pigments on paper, the ferce bird with faming feathers, holding elephants
in its beak and claws, standing within a hilly landscape on dark blue ground, within
blue, black and silver rules and red borders
8 x 7¿in. (20.4 x 18.3cm.)
£2,000-3,000 $2,900-4,300
€2,500-3,700
PROVENANCE:
Ex Oscar Leneman Collection
Sotheby’s Colonnade, London, 18 October 1996, lot 64
LITERATURE:
Patrick Carre, Dieux, tigres et amours, Miniatures indiennes du XVe au XXe siecle,
Collection d’Oscar Leneman, Paris, 1993, pp.88-89.
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