The Chunar Ragamala is of great importance to understanding the relationship of Mughal to Rajput painting. Its three artists, Shaykh Husain, Shayh'Ali, and Shaykh Hatim, were trained in the Imperial Mughal court. They produced this Ragamala series for Rao Raja Bhoj Singh (r. 1585-1607) at his estate at Chunar (Uttar Pradesh). The series was later brought to the Rao Raja's kingdom of Bundi (Rajasthan); it became the compositional model for ragamalas produced there over the next 200 years. Images of Kedar Raga depict an ascetic in meditation. The unique feature of Kedar ragini in the Chunar set and other Bundi ragamalas is the Muslim darvish visiting a meditating yogini (female ascetic).
Provenance:
1591-?
Rao Raja Bhaj Singh (reign 1585-1607), commissioned from the artists Shaikh Hasan, Shaikh Ali, and Shaikh Hatim in India [1]
? - at least between 1967-1968
Ownership information unknown
At least between 1967 -1968 - ?
Sital Das, method of acquisition unknown [2]
?-1984
Ownership information unknown
1984
Sale, London, England, Christie's, sale #3022, "Islamic, Indian, South-east Asian Manuscripts, Miniatures, and Works of Art," November 22-23, 1984, lot 181 [3]
1984-1985
Michael Goedhuis, Ltd. (established 1980), London, England, purchased at November 22-23, 1984, Christie's Sale, London, England on behalf of the Freer Gallery of Art [4]
From 1985
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Michael Goedhuis, Ltd. [5]
Notes:
[1] See Christie's, "Islamic, Indian, South-east Asian Manuscripts, Miniatures, and Works of Art" [auction catalogue], (London: Christie's, November 22-23, 1984), lot 181, illustrated (recto and verso).
[2] See unaddressed letter from Milo Beach, dated February 18, 1986, copy in object file. Beach states, “I saw the pages [F1985.2 and F1985.3] in India in 1967-68, when the owner allowed me to photograph the works. Returning to India in 1971 and attempting to see them again, I was told that they were no longer available and my distinct impression was that they had left India. I do not know of anyone who saw the paintings anywhere after my 1967-68 visit.”
See also Kanta Talukdar’s newspaper article from “The Telegraph” (London: March 16, 1986), copy in object file. Kanta Talukdar reported that the owner was Sital Das.
Sital Das is a jeweler and collector in Delhi, India.
[3] See note 1.
[4] See object file for copy of Michael Goedhuis, Ltd. invoice to Freer Gallery of Art, undated (ca. December 1984), and marked approved on December 12, 1984.
Michael Goedhuis, Ltd. in London, England was established in 1980. Michael Goedhuis began his professional involvement in the art world in 1975 when he joined Jacob Rothschild’s firm Colnaghi (established 1760), specializing in Persian, Mughal and Islamic art. After establishing his own firm, Goedhuis expanded his dealing activities to include Indian, Japanese, and Chinese art. In 1981, Goedhuis purchase the name “Colnaghi Oriental” from Rothchild and utilized the name in advertisements for his firm.
[5] See note 4.
Research updated September 11, 2023
Collection:
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History:
Yoga: The Art of Transformation (October 19, 2013 to January 26, 2014)
Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas (October 16, 2004 to January 3, 2016)
Masterworks of Indian Painting (December 13, 1997 to June 13, 1998)
South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)
The Arts of South Asia (May 13, 1985 to December 2, 1985)
