IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: I have collected a lot of Chinese and Asian pieces over the years. I am not an expert on antique paintings or manuscripts. All details provided are based on the item's original documentation and my own observations and testing. Please review the high-resolution photos carefully to assess condition. Sold as-is -- please do your own research to confirm age and authenticity.

Noblewoman and Attendants -- Indo-Persian Miniature with Poetic Calligraphy
North India (Lucknow, Oudh, or Rajasthan), circa 1880-1900

A late 19th-century Indo-Persian miniature depicting a richly dressed noblewoman seated on a palace terrace, surrounded by four attendants bearing fly-whisk, tray, and vessels. The scene features a domed pavilion, flowering plants, and a marble terrace rendered in meticulous detail. Costumes and jewelry are finely worked. Persian/Urdu poetic verses in black Nastaliq on gold ground appear in the upper calligraphy panel.

Manuscript Context:
Painted on a recycled Urdu manuscript leaf. The reverse is filled with two columns of Persian/Urdu Nastaliq script -- likely ghazals or literary prose -- adding research and collector value. This manuscript reuse is classic for North Indian workshops of the period.

Measurements: Approx. 22 x 14 cm (8.7 x 5.5 in)

Medium: Opaque watercolor (gouache) and ink with possible gold highlights on handmade wasli over manuscript leaf
Artist/Origin: Unknown North Indian artist, Mughal/Oudh tradition
Script: Persian/Urdu Nastaliq (front poetic panel and reverse columns)
Comparable sales: Similar works have realized $950-$1,350 at auction (2022-2024).