19th-century Sikh school miniature painting

19th-century Sikh school miniature painting

19th-century Sikh school miniature painting

This finely executed 19th-century Sikh school miniature painting reflects the stylistic influence of the late Mughal and Islamic artistic traditions. It depicts Sikh gurus engaged in a serene conversation by a lakeside, surrounded by a beautifully rendered landscape of trees, distant hills, and calm waters. The vivid yet balanced palette, graceful gestures, and attention to textile patterns demonstrate the refinement and spiritual atmosphere characteristic of 19th-century North Indian miniature art.

The painting is rendered on wasli paper, a traditional handmade layered surface prized for its strength, smoothness, and ability to preserve colors over centuries.

On the verso, the artwork bears the seal of Maharaja Dheeraj Singh Bahadur of Kishanganj, India, adding both historical provenance and cultural importance to the piece.
CHSOS Collection – item #54

Technical Photography

This 19th-century Sikh school miniature painting on paper shows pigments with distinctive UV fluorescence colors, while the IR image reveals details of the underdrawing. The most revealing, however, is the Transmitted Infrared (IRT) image. In this setup, infrared radiation penetrates deeper into the support, allowing hidden writing and compositional changes to emerge clearly. When the examination is performed with the back of the painting facing the camera, the amount of recoverable information often increases, as it does in this case. The analysis not only exposes previously unseen inscriptions but also provides valuable insight into the artist’s working process, revealing preliminary sketches, corrections, and the layering technique typical of Indian miniature painting.

19th-century Sikh school miniature painting vis19th-century Sikh school miniature painting uvf
19th-century Sikh school miniature painting vis19th-century Sikh school miniature painting ir
19th-century Sikh school miniature painting vis verso19th-century Sikh school miniature painting ir
19th-century Sikh school miniature painting vis19th-century Sikh school miniature painting irt
19th-century Sikh school miniature painting vis verso19th-century Sikh school miniature painting irt

Scientific Art Examination – Resources:
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) – USA
The British Museum – Scientific Research Department – UK
Scientific Research Department – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France) – France
Rijksmuseum – Science Department – Netherlands

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