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19th-Century Indian Dancer
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| Limited Edition:
37 Banners |
| Price:
$415 |
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| Museum:
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco |
| Exhibition:
Princes, Palaces, and Passion: The Art of India's Mewar Kingdom |
| Material:
Printed vinyl |
| Dimensions:
L: 72 " (183 cm) : W:35 "
(89 cm) |
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Description:
In the 19th century in the kingdom of Mewar, now Udaipar in southwestern
Rajasthan, Indian art developed from its traditional roots to a more
imaginative and symbolic plane. It was one of the most illustrious periods
in the evolution of Indian art. Now known mostly for its romantic palace
and grand 5-star hotel rising from the center of the lake, Mewar was the
center of the ruling Rajasthani families of the Mewar Dynasty for some 1200
years.
These banners feature the watercolor A Court Beauty from
around 1815. The work is attributed to Chokha (active 1799-1824), the
foremost court artist of the day from the Mewar state. The original work is
painted on cotton cloth and embellished with gold and silver accents, and
the work translates exceptionally well to the banner format. The large
figure is supple and sensual, her body almost in a contraposto stance
that recalls classical Greek and Roman works. Her richly embroidered
garments display her status as a courtier. Her overt sexuality and exposed
breasts show that her outfit is designed with an eye to the watcher's
enjoyment rather than the wearer's comfort. The detailed figure with the small child reaching up to her epitomizes the high level of artistry achieved by the styles that melded during this period in Chokha's paintings.
Below the image is a yellow band with red letters that read "Museum". This
completes the text from the other side of the banner which has a yellow band
at the bottom that reads "Asian Art" in red text. The rest of this side is
red with yellow and white text that reads "Princes, Palaces, & Passion: The
Art of India's Mewar Kingdom" along with the exhibition dates "Feb 2 - April
29". |
| Provenance:
These banners were displayed around San Francisco to promote the Asian Art
Museum's exhibition Princes, Palaces, and Passion: The Art of India's
Mewar Kingdom from February 2 through April 29, 2007. |
About the Artist:
Rajasthan artist Chokha (active 1799-1824) was the son of renowned artist
Bakhta. Much of the great art that came out of this period was created by
artists trained under Bakhta. Chokha's style was inspired by and grew from
his father's, but he took the traditional styles and techniques of Northwest
India and made them uniquely his own with his fluidity, simplified
modernity, and reliance on movement and three-dimensionality. These
innovations were a break form earlier styles that drew more heavily on
traditional, flat forms and figures.
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| Color Scheme: Warm - |
| Style: Asian - |
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