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Description

Ranjit Singh enthroned in durbar after Imam Bakhsh Lahori, India, 20th century Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the ruler facing courtiers, all bearing arms, on a terrace, the golden temple of Amritsar in the background, within thin p

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Ranjit Singh enthroned in durbar after Imam Bakhsh Lahori, India, 20th century Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the ruler facing courtiers, all bearing arms, on a terrace, the golden temple of Amritsar in the background, within thin p

Estimate 3 000 - 5 000 GBP
Starting price 2 000 GBP

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 31.2 %

For sale on Wednesday 19 Jun - 10:00 (BST)
london, United Kingdom
Roseberys
+4402087612522
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The coppersmith, North India, Punjab, circa 1860-80, attributed to the workshop of Bishan Singh Gouache and silver on paper depicting a coppersmith crouching in front of a building, holding a lota vase at the end of his tongs over a hearth he is stoking with a large bellows. Around him, several tools and, in the foreground, pieces he has made. Scene framed by three blue lines. 26.4 x 20.6 cm Russeting, oxidation of the silver, upper part of the folio laminated. A Painting with a Coppersmith, North India, Punjab, c. 1860-80, attributed to Bishan Singh Workshop Beneath the apparent simplicity of this painting, which takes as its subject a modest craft scene, the eye lingers with delight on details that reveal a brush of great mastery. The sampling of tools and artifacts, easily identifiable thanks to their realism, offers an almost documentary account of Punjabi metal craftsmanship in the second half of the 19th century. The artist has also taken great care with the image of the scene's protagonist, the coppersmith, whose beard is full yet tidy, almost combed, like his hair, the curls of which can almost be counted as they fall to the nape of his neck. The attention to detail is evident in the folds of the shirt and the rolled-up pants, but also in the braiding of the mat on which the craftsman is seated and in the undulations of the skin of the bellows he is operating with his left hand. The pavilion behind him, with its molded panels, ornate corbelling and overall effect of depth, has also not been neglected by the painter, who even seems to suggest where the sun is shining from with the shadow cast by the central hearth. Although the artist chose to remain anonymous, all these stylistic elements, as well as the occasional use of bright colors for the pants, bonnet and bellows uprights, suggest a connection with the work of the painter Bishan Singh (circa 1836-1900) and his entourage. Bishan Singh, who came from a family of Punjabi artists in the second half of the 19th century, was highly regarded in Sikh circles. His impressive depiction of Sikhism's most important holy place, the Golden Temple of Amritsar, in the Davinder Toor collection, is a fine testimony to his attachment to this culture. It is also famous for its numerous representations of the court of the first Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh (r. 1801-1839). Whether in the architectural lines, the rendering of materials, faces or objects, Bishan Singh always demonstrates great precision of line coupled with the use of sometimes shimmering colors. Beyond religious and princely circles, the artist has also taken an interest in the daily life of the Indian people, and in particular in crafts and trades. The painting of a shawl weavers' workshop in the Musée Guimet (no. MA 12702), signed and dated 1874-75, is a well-known example. Our dinandier seems to form a series with other paintings of trades attributed to the artist and appearing on the market in recent weeks: one presented at Bonham's, London, May 21, 2024, lot 190 depicting a butcher, a second presented at Daguerre, Paris, June 7, 2024, lot 5, depicting cooks. All three are roughly equal in size, have the same blue-line framing and feature a trade in front of an architectural pavilion, whose softness contrasts with the liveliness of a few colored highlights.