I am not at all an expert on Indian miniature style paintings but find them quite amazing, and when I happened upon this one at an antiques shop in my neck of the woods I had to bring it home. In addition to the jewel like colors and patterns and marvelous intensity of detail, I just love the depiction of a world of women coming together. I am more or less certain it portrays two scenes at Holi, or the "Festival of Colors," marking the end of winter and renewal that comes with spring--with one element being the throwing and smearing of colorful powder pigments (gulal), as pictured below, center right (see detail photos.) This is a mid 20th century painting I believe, done in the traditional Mughal manner, gouache on silk.
Silk: 12 1/4" x 8 7/8". Painting area 10 5/8" x 7 1/4". Very condition, with a couple of paper mounts adhered to the top edge corners from the reverse side and just a bit of fraying to silk along edges.
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