Description
* Ecole Indienne du XXe siècle Portrait of the Maharani of Baroda (1917-1989) Oil on canvas 204 x 172 cm unsigned Provenance: This lot is sold as a temporary import. Of unknown artist and date, this portrait of Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda may have been commissioned by herself to decorate one of her residences. Some photos show her son, Prince Sayajirao Gaekwad, also known as "princie", in front of the painting. The work bears witness to her tumultuous life as an independent woman. To obtain a divorce from her 1st husband, she embraced Islam and its laws, which accorded more status to women than Hinduism, before marrying the maharajah of Baroda in 1943. Here she poses triumphantly on the historic golden throne of the Great Durbar Hall of the Laxmi Villas Palace in Baroda, dressed in incredible finery. A leading socialite who lived between London, Neuilly and Monaco, the woman nicknamed "India's Wallis Simpson" shared with the Duchess of Windsor an insatiable passion for jewelry. Through her marriage to the maharajah of Baroda, the world's 8th richest man, Sita Devi became part of one of India's most eminent dynasties, renowned for its wealth and fabulous treasure trove of several hundred jewels and precious objects. Among the exceptional pieces in the couple's possession is a carpet of natural pearls from the Gulf, commissioned by the maharajah of Baroda in the 18th century to cover the tomb of the prophet Muhammad in Medina, and acquired by the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Among these treasures is also the majestic three-row necklace adorned with the diamond known as the "Star of the South", which the Maharani wears in this portrait. Cut in 1857, the stone passed through the hands of several traders before finally being purchased around 1870 by Maharajah Khande Râo Gâekwâr of Baroda. In 1948, Sita Devi wore the stone in a modified necklace to mark the birthday of her husband, Maharajah Pratāp Sinh. This life-size painting is a notable trace of the stone's journey, as well as being a work celebrating the Maharani and the kingdom of Baroda. Official portrait of Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda (1917-1989), oil on canvas, Indian school, 20th century This portrait of Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda, by an unknown artist and date, may have been commissioned by her to decorate one of her residences. Some of the photos show her son, Prince Sayajirao Gaekwad, known as "princie", in front of the painting. This work bears witness to her tumultuous life as an independent woman. To obtain a divorce from her 1st husband, she embraced Islam and its laws, which accorded greater status to women than Hinduism, before marrying the Maharajah of Baroda in 1943. Here she poses triumphantly on the historic golden throne in the great Durbar Hall of the Palace of the Laxmi Villas in Baroda, dressed in incredible finery. A leading socialite who lived between London, Neuilly and Monaco, the woman who was nicknamed "India's Wallis Simpson" shared with the Duchess of Windsor an insatiable passion for jewellery. Through her marriage to the Maharajah of Baroda, the 8th richest man in the world, Sita Devi became part of one of India's most eminent dynasties, renowned for its wealth and fabulous treasure trove of several hundred jewels and precious objects. Among the exceptional pieces in the couple's possession is a carpet of natural pearls from the Gulf, commissioned by the maharajah of Baroda in the 18th century to cover the tomb of the prophet Muhammad in Medina, and acquired by the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. These treasures also include the majestic three-row necklace adorned with the diamond known as the "Star of the South", which the Maharani is wearing in this portrait. Cut in 1857, the stone passed through the hands of several merchants before finally being purchased around 1870 by the Maharajah Khande Râo Gâekwâr of Baroda. In 1948, Sita Devi wore the stone in a modified necklace on the occasion of the birthday of her husband, Maharajah Pratāp Sinh. This life-size painting is a notable trace of the stone's journey, as well as being a work celebrating the Maharani and the kingdom of Baroda.
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