FOUR MICA PAINTINGS
Murshidabad, Patna, and Tiruchirappalli (Trichinopoly), India, 19th century

Opaque pigments on mica, showcasing the different styles of mica painting across the Indian Subcontinent, comprising a horizontal-format crowded ceremonial procession of a Hindu god's murti (icon), most probably Vishnu holding his attributes including a club, a quoit, and a lotus flower, the statue contained inside a typical Southern Indian nagara tiered structure of pyramidal shape, topped with a flaming lotus finial; a landscape scene with a river and an Indian fort atop a mountain in the background; a village scene with two women grinding cereals to make flour in front of their humble abode; and a South Indian couple dressed in typical attires, each mounted on a white card frame, some with coloured cards as background, the largest mica 10.7cm x 16cm, the smallest 10.3cm x 5.8cm.