Lot 131

Three 19th C. Indo-Persian Mughal-Style Paintings - Battle Scenes

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Lot 131
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Three 19th C. Indo-Persian Mughal-Style Paintings - Battle Scenes
Three 19th C. Indo-Persian Mughal-Style Paintings - Battle Scenes
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Three 19th C. Indo-Persian Mughal-Style Paintings - Battle Scenes

Estimate: $1,200 - $1,800

Starting Bid: $600

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 6, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

South Asia, Indian subcontinent, Mughal style, ca. 1850–1950 CE. A trio of miniature paintings in the Mughal manner, executed in opaque watercolor and gold on paper, each inset into a later illuminated album border and framed under glass. The first captures a cavalry engagement at its climax: two mounted leaders cross sabers, massed lancers press behind a raised Islamic banner, and the fallen lie among discarded arms beneath a band of hills. The second surveys the aftermath of a rout, a victorious commander on a grey horse riding through the slain, flanked by a war elephant and a musketeer, a white lakeside palace beyond; its Devanagari caption and provincial handling suggest a Rajput or North Indian hand. The third stages an execution before an enthroned emperor, likely Aurangzeb, the swordsman's stroke falling over prostrate victims as the ruler watches from his canopied throne, a stock tableau of royal justice. Size of largest painting: 9.8" W x 13" H (24.9 cm W x 33.0 cm H); of largest frame: 13.5" W x 16.5" H x 1" D (34.3 cm W x 41.9 cm H x 2.5 cm D).

The Mughal atelier tradition, born of Persian models introduced under Humayun and refined through the reigns of Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan, prized minute brushwork, jewel-toned mineral pigments, and burnished gold. Battle and darbar scenes such as these belonged to illustrated histories and albums (muraqqa), where individual leaves were mounted within decorated borders. The recurring image of justice dispensed before a canopied throne, here associated with Aurangzeb, functioned as a visual assertion of imperial authority. Paintings of this type were produced in quantity for the collectors' market from the later 19th century onward, reprising earlier compositions in a decorative register.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection, from the estate of Eugene and Iris Rotberg

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Item # 203899

  • Condition: Each mounted behind glass with custom matte and frame; have not been examined outside of glass. All have expected age wear with some tears, small losses, and retouching in areas. Otherwise, in good condition with clear imagery. Frames are all in excellent overall condition with suspension wire on verso of each for display.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000