A princess admiring the reflection of the pre dawn moon in a lotus pool, her two maidservants in attendance, one is holding a huqqa. Gouache and gold on thick buff handmade paper, more like thin card really.

Another Kangra painting, dated to 1820 – 1830, showing figures in the same setting and with remarkably similar architectural details was included in the Sotheby’s NY sale of September 1985, estimated at $1500-$2000. The Sotheby’s painting also included two maidservants, in the same pose and position in the painting, leading to the suspicion that both paintings were by the same hand.

The painting is 8.1/4” x 5.1/2”, with border 11.1/4” x 8.1/2”. The condition of the painting is very good with only a couple of tiny flakes on the white at the bottom of the scene. There is a 1/4” tear in the border, about one third up the left hand edge.