* A LARGE CALLIGRAPHIC REVERSE GLASS PAINTING OF SHI'A DEVOTIONAL CONTENT
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR
Kolkata (Calcutta), India, first half 20th century

Opaque pigments, pencil, polychrome enamels and white wash on glass, the intricate horizontal composition showcasing a large nasta'liq calligraphic panel with Shi'a devotional and auspicious content, against a lush vegetal background with blue and red flowerheads and green trellis, framed within a thin white and blue beaded band, on the top and bottom interlocking leafy scrolls with central circular mirrors on a light blue ground, on each corner more floral sprays, backed with a wooden panel stamped 'BEGG DUNLOP & CO LTD CALCUTTA', framed, 47.5cm x 55.5cm including the frame.

Reverse glass painting is a fascinating pictorial artistic production, which started flourishing in both the Indian and Iranian lands around the mid-19th century. Often overlooked and classified as 'folk' art with more ethnographic than art historical value, this genre was never studied in depth. And yet, this art is not an easy to master; it requires a very specific set of skills, coming from the Far East. Indeed, Indian reverse glass paintings were often made by Chinese artists settled in India. Their production presented a very distinctive style and muted palette, often creating an intriguing mix of Indian and Chinese elements.

However, Chinese artists lacked empathy and understanding for the Indian feeling for form and colour and for the power of the written religious word. Thus, subjects and calligraphic compositions with a religious content, whether Hindu or Shi'a, were often produced by local Indian artists trained in this artform. Our lot showcases a quite bold use of colour and an understanding of not only the language but also the nasta'liq calligraphic style, leading to suggest it was produced by Indian artists rather than Chinese ones.