At a distance, they are beautiful. On closer examination, they are even more remarkable, revealing stories captured in infinitesimal detail. The world of miniature paintings is a kaleidoscope of history and the lives of people through the ages. Fittingly, COURT & COURTSHIP: INDIAN MINIATURES IN THE TAPI COLLECTION (Niyogi, Rs 2,500) by J.P.
Losty is an eclectic mix of works from different periods, schools and sources. The theme that unites this collection is the expansiveness of the mind’s eye characteristic of the India of yore.
The result is a vision refreshingly free of narrowness. A god leads his lover into a chamber, while his other mistresses look on; two ladies seduce each other in the privacy of the zenana and Mughal sultans and Rajput maharanas co-exist peacefully.
The most interesting section, though, is on the rare ‘animal sketchbook’ of miniature artist, Ghasiram. It shows the amount of painstaking study and detailing that went into the making of these miniatures.
