'Bouquet of Flowers Emerging from the Grass' Canvas Cloth Print, c.1750

Provenance

A profuse bouquet grows directly out of the grass on a single stem, its flowers arranged with a formal symmetry that recalls European botanical prints while following a distinctly Indian visual logic: the flowers do not stand in a vase but emerge from the earth itself, ordered by an internal symmetry rather than any container. The central bloom — a scarlet poppy — is surrounded by smaller flowers, leaves, and birds, the whole composition balanced and precisely rendered.

The tradition of floral still-life entered Indian painting under the Mughal emperor Jahangir in the early 17th century. Jahangir was a keen naturalist who commissioned detailed studies of animals and plants, and this mode of close observation spread to the Rajput courts, where artists adapted it to their own conventions. At the Bundi court in Rajasthan, the European import was reshaped into something unmistakably regional.

The Bundi school is known for its lush, inventive treatment of plant life, and this bouquet shows that quality at its most refined: the flowers rendered with a loving specificity, the whole arrangement alive with the pleasure of looking.

Disclaimer:

• The frames shown are for display purposes only and are not included with the artwork.
• As these are made-to-order designer pieces, expect minor colour variations from the displayed artwork.