Indus Valley Decorated Terracotta Jar

Velvet panel with embroidered figure of a peacock in stem stitch, couching, satin stitch and other techniques; second fabric panel with fronds in stem and other stitches; the threads with metallic content, threaded beads; set in a glazed wooden frame. 745 grams, 29.5 x 24.5 cm



Private collection, London, UK.

Framed and glazed displaying a figural panel inserted into four vertical columns of cursive script separated by red and blue bands, continued on the reverse. 1.15 kg, 45.5 cm



Property of a London gallery.

The scene is taken from the work of Nur Al-Din ‘Abd Al-Rahman Jami’, the famous Jami, a political scholar and writer of mystical Sufi literature. It represents a scene of Yusuf and Zulaykha (the history of the biblical Joseph and the Egyptian wife of Potiphar, chief of the Pharaoh's guardsmen).

Depicting two celestial musicians: one holding a stringed instrument, head turned to the right; the other playing a drum, head turned to the left; each positioned to create a sense of movement and carved with very fine details, including carefully manicured hair and facial hair, extensive jewellery and beautifully crisp eyelids; mounted on modern steel bases. 55.1 kg total, 53 cm high including stand each



Private collection, Rome, acquired in the 1980s. with Christie's, New York, Indian and Southeast Asian Art, 21 September 2007, no.70 [$60,000-$80,000]. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13376-259008.

Sculpture and music have played a prominent part in the cultural development of Indian civilisation. From the representation of the dynamic art of music and dancing on sculpture, we can acquire knowledge of the type of music and dance practised at different periods, and in the study of the history and evolution of music in general and musical instruments in particular.