ANTIQUITIES AND ISLAMIC ART SALE
Lot 359:
Description
This exceptional and rare 19th-century Phad painting, rendered on handwoven cloth, illustrates the legendary tale of Pabuji, a revered folk-deity and Rajput hero of Rajasthan. The scroll is a vibrant narrative tapestry that once served as a mobile temple and storytelling aid, carried and performed by the Bhopas —traditional priest-singers of Rajasthan.
Executed in natural vegetable and mineral pigments, this monumental piece features intricate iconography, elaborate detailing, and a rich, earthy palette.
The composition unfolds in horizontal registers, with scenes portraying Pabuji’s birth, divine encounters, battles, and his fabled camel theft -each episode alive with stylized figures, celestial beings, animals, and architectural.
The condition is consistent with age, bearing wear and minor pigment loss in places-hallmarks of authentic usage and ritual performance. This Phad scroll is not merely a work of art but a historical document, offering a rare glimpse into the syncretic, oral-visual traditions of pre-modern India.
For similar example, see Christies, Arts of India, 12th June 2014, Lot 150
Provenance
Barlas Collection
138 x 76cm
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