Lot 189: An Indian Miniature Painting Depicting the Churning of the Ocean (Samudra Manthan), Late 18th/19th Century

An Indian miniature painting, executed in opaque pigments on paper, depicting a scene from Hindu mythology, the Churning of the Ocean (Samudra Manthan). The composition features a central blue-skinned deity, likely Vishnu in his Kurma (tortoise) avatar, atop a large churning staff, supported at its base by a tortoise. Numerous figures, animals, and divine beings participate in the scene, characteristic of this mythological narrative. Visible text at the top, ‘कच्छप हरिश’ (Kachchhapa Harish), translates to ‘Tortoise Lord/Vishnu’, corroborating the mythological subject. Rendered in a traditional Indian miniature style with vibrant colors and flat perspective, the painting is bordered by a red margin with stylized floral motifs.

With frame: Approximately 54.5 x 46.5cm