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Lot Essay
Showing various unsavoury behaviours arising from drug addiction, this painting is something of a warning of the importance of staying on the straight and narrow. Many of the figures appear emancipated and are all engaging in some sort of outrageous antisocial behaviour. Interestingly involving both Hindu and Muslim characters, we see numerous ascetics fighting over a nargileh, a man so intoxicated a parrot has taken up residence on his shoulder, and a couple of loyal customers prostrating themselves before the owner or a drug or liquor store.
Whilst the colours of the painting are suggestive of late Mughal painting, the schools of Murshidabad and Lucknow had a keen focus on perspective by the late 18th century which the present lot lacks. Rajasthan, especially Jaipur, could then be possible although the figural style with heavily modelled features would suggest late 18th century Jodhpur or, at the least, Marwar (J. Losty, op.cit., p.102). Drugs and drug use are popular features in Indian painting of this period and can range from the respectful to the satirical, as with the present lot, in tone (J. Mallinson, “Drugs and Religion in India”, in Losty, op.cit., pp.77-79).
Whilst the colours of the painting are suggestive of late Mughal painting, the schools of Murshidabad and Lucknow had a keen focus on perspective by the late 18th century which the present lot lacks. Rajasthan, especially Jaipur, could then be possible although the figural style with heavily modelled features would suggest late 18th century Jodhpur or, at the least, Marwar (J. Losty, op.cit., p.102). Drugs and drug use are popular features in Indian painting of this period and can range from the respectful to the satirical, as with the present lot, in tone (J. Mallinson, “Drugs and Religion in India”, in Losty, op.cit., pp.77-79).