An ⁠illustration from a Ragamala series, Achanda Raga, India, Nurpur, circa 1700

S.N. Kalia, 1962

Ex-collection William Archer (1907-1979) and Mildred Archer (1911-2005), London

Christie's, London, Arts of India, 23 September 2005, lot 61

Ex-collection Marie-Christine David (1945 - 2011), Paris

W.G. Archer, Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills, London, 1973, Nurpur, no.7(i), p.304 (mislabelled)

W.G. Archer, Visions of Courtly India, Washington D.C., 1976, no.70, pp.132-3.

inscriptions

Achanda raga sri raga da putra 65, 'Achanda Raga, son of Sri Raga. 65'

On the reverse, in takri, 'On the bed of pleasure Gaur raga is asleep, his feet are being caressed by a lotus-facedd girl, the third son of Sri Raga by name Gaur.'

Another painting from this series depicting Mistang Raga is in the National Museum, Delhi (Archer 1973, p.392, pl.7(i)). Although Archer initially proposed a Bilaspur attribution for the series, a figure in the painting in Delhi so closely resembles Mandhata of Nurpur (r.1661-1700) that he reattributed the series. The prominent use of mauve, orange, and dark blue in the colour palette are characteristic of early Nurpur painting, supporting this attribution (Archer 1973, p.392).