Fascinating Hybrid: Indo-Persian Mughal Manuscript Painting after Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

This one has been a process trying to figure out, and remains a bit of a mystery to me still, but first and foremost I think it is just gorgeous in all of its ultra rich color and impossibly fine detail, and of course those flowers and butterflies consuming the border totally do it for me (complete with shadows, looking rather as if poised to ultimately consume the scene at center, too!) 

With some searching I've figured out that the scene represented here closely follows one depicted in Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry (the Beautiful Hours of the Duke of Berry), completed around 1410 by the Limbourg brothers, which went on to become known (not until the second half of the 19th century) as the ultimate example of Gothic manuscript illumination. The image from Les Très Riches Heures upon which this Indo-Persian painting is based Illustrated the month of April; it depicts a betrothal scene, set within a garden and in front of a castle just as here, often interpreted as the engagement of Bonne of Armagnac and Charles of Orléans and also regarded as an especially excellent representation of fashion among the European upper class in the early 15th century. I have included an image of it at the end of my photos--you can see how similar but also how changed. (I have not figured out the significance of the two crouched women, in the original appearing to be pulling at blades of grass, but here seeming to be very deliberately pointing/poking at it!) 

So in summary we have here a European gothic manuscript painting filtered through an Indo-Persian lens (home to greatest miniature paintings anywhere), with trompe l'oeil style border that also feels very European in influence but I believe of this maker's own addition. A wonderful and I think quite fascinating hybrid, embodying cross influence in every regard. 

13 1/2" x 10",. Gouache on heavy, stiff (card weight) paper with text in black and red ink on reverse as well. Beautiful condition. I would have guessed earlier 19th century, but my understanding is that knowledge of Les Très Riches Heures did not spread until the second half of the 19th century, so have to think late 19th c. or so.