Mir Kalan Khan "Lovers in a Landscape"

From: Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Limited Edition: 25
Exhibition: India's Fabled City: The Art of Courtly Lucknow
Material: Printed vinyl
Dimensions: 35" x 96" (88cm x 243cm)

Hanging Hardware Included

 

Description

On loan from The David Collection in Copenhagen, Denmark, Lovers in a Landscape (ca. 1760-70) was deemed the Mona Lisa of Indian paintings in the LACMA exhibition, India’s Fabled City: The Art of Courtly Lucknow. Painter Mir Kalan Khan captured the very essence of Lucknow, the cultural capital of north India from the middle of the 18th century until the beginning of British colonial rule in 1857. A confluence of Hindu, Islamic, and European traditions fueled a rich atmosphere for art, music, dance, and poetry. Lucknow's political leadership at the time embraced opulence, which served as a magnet for artists and businessmen alike.

Mir Kalan Khan's watercolor is a miniature (8.25 x 6 inches) and depicts an eclectic scene characteristic of the times: a young Persian couple being serenaded by an Indian courtesan playing a long-necked lute among European trees and landscape. The yellow background and lively collection of wildlife are Mir Kalan Khan's original touches to complete a hybrid scene.

The exhibition featured 210 objects – Indian courtly paintings, European oil paintings, drawings, prints, decorative objects and textiles, 19th century photography, and 20th century Bollywood films. It was the first major international study of Lucknow's golden age.

The banner used to promote the exhibition shows a detail from Lovers in a Landscape and features a lutist adorned in rich golden tones with fruited branches above, and red and blue flowers at her feet. "LACMA" appears in white letters at the bottom, with the exhibition dates below. The back side of the banner is fuchsia with "India’s Fabled City: Art of Lucknow" appearing in goldenrod capital letters.

Provenance

These banners were displayed around Los Angeles between December 12, 2010 and February 27, 2011 to promote the exhibition India’s Fabled City: Art of Lucknow. The exhibition then traveled to the Musée Guimet in Paris.