Vintage South Indian Reverse Glass Painting | Lady Playing the Veena

Curator: The Blue Trunk

Artist: Unknown

Medium: Reverse Glass Painting

Size: 15w x 1 d x 21 h in / 38.1 w x 2.5 d x 53.3 h cm

Weight: 8 kgs

Please note that due to the delicate nature of the artifact, it is available for delivery in Bombay only.

This vintage reverse glass painting is a refined example of South Indian artistic tradition, depicting a graceful woman seated and playing the Veena, the classical Indian string instrument closely associated with music, learning and cultivated artistic traditions.

The figure is rendered with stylised features, a fluid posture and a composed expression, reflecting the distinctive visual language found in South Indian decorative and devotional art. The composition is further enriched by the Veena, whose end terminates in a Yali finial.

The Yali is a mythical creature widely represented in South Indian temple architecture and traditional decorative arts. Often depicted as a protective and powerful figure, the Yali became an enduring motif in South Indian sculpture, wood carving and ornamental design.

Executed using the reverse glass painting technique, the work has a distinctive luminosity created by painting the image from the reverse side of the glass. Its vibrant yet harmonious colours and layered visual effect give the painting considerable depth and character.

Measuring 21 × 15 inches, this vintage South Indian reverse glass painting is an engaging example of traditional Indian art and print-free decorative painting, particularly suited to collectors interested in historic Indian painting techniques, South Indian visual culture and Veena imagery.

Care instructions: Wipe the piece with a soft, dry cloth. Do not expose it to direct sunlight, dampness, heat or cold.

The Blue Trunk was born out of the passion to travel, and collect pieces that symbolise the rich cultural traditions and history of places travelled to. They scour towns and villages, big and small, across India’s vast landscape, to bring forth an exquisite curation of traditional and authentic products that are part of the lives they discover. Their penchant for hand crafted artifacts, both vintage and new, is what makes their collection such a fine mix.