Two fragmentary preparatory drawings of musical modes (ragamalas) : Serang or Kedar Ragini, an...

The upper drawing of our lot could be identified to many musical modes showing a sitter playing a stringed instrument. However, the presence of the lone figure seemingly draped in a very loose garb and with a snake rising above its head hints to a Shaivite ascetic. Klaus Ebeling publishes two paintings of interest to our lot. The first, an 18th century Deccani illustration of Kedar ragini showing an ascetic on a tiger skin listening to a devotee playing the same instrument as seen on our preparatory drawing (Ebeling Klaus, Ragamala Painting, Basel, Paris, New Delhi 1973, ill. 287, p. 268). The second, an early 19th century painting of Sarang ragini, attributed to Bikaner and kept at the Baroda museum, with a sitting lord listening being serenaded (ibid. ill. 148, p. 228). The musician holds the same stringed instrument and shares many similarities with ours, such as his hairstyle, attitude and posture. The composition remains the same, the Bikaner lord and our ascetic are prominent and exude calm while the musician keeps a subdued gaze and the architectural element serves as a background to the most important sitter. 

The sketched scene below strongly hints at a preparation for Madyamadhi ragini. Ebeling list a an illustration of Madhyamadi ragini attributed to Amber and dated 1709 showing a similar passionate embrace (ibid. ill. 200, p. 245) where he invites a comparison with an other Amber painting and a Lucknow drawing (ill.75, p.189)  and ill. 120, p. 215). The former is interrogatively attributed to 18th century Bikaner. The later shows Shiva and his consort embracing outdoors on an elephant skin. Interestingly, in this drawing, Parvati's posture and curvaceous body echoes the courtesan's seen on our preparatory sketch.