Miniature Indian Erotic Painting

Although the Kama Sutra, India’s famous guide to sensual living, wouldn’t be translated into English until the late 19th century, foreigners living in India during the heyday of the British East India Company could easily have obtained erotic imagery through the brisk trade of Indian miniature paintings that catered to Western audiences. Known as the Company School, this approach to painting melded Mughal miniature tradition with Western techniques and styles. Painted in mid-19th century of water-based pigments on ivory, a medium unique to Delhi artists, this miniature offers an intimate glimpse at the erotic lifestyle of the imperial court. We’re charmed by the painting’s loose rendering, suggestive of a furtive glance through the peephole of the circular mat.