A Mystical Realm of Love: Pahari Paintings from Seitz Collection
Superbly produced and splendidly illustrated, A Mystical Realm of Love is an important addition to the study of Pahari painting. A major work of scholarship, this welcome new publication also gives readers unparalleled access to one of the most outstanding collections of its kind.
Eva and Konrad Seitz have put together over many years an outstanding collection of some of the most famous and important of all 18th century Pahari paintings, including miniatures commissioned by the Rajput rulers of the Punjab Hill states (1650-1850). This profusely illustrated book with meticulous research by J.P. Losty (curator emeritus British Library), designed by Misha Anikst and published by Francesca Galloway, London, gives the reader the opportunity to see the collection in its entirety.
Pahari paintings have been the focus of Eva and Konrad Seitz’s collection since the couple first went to India in the late 1960s for Konrad to take up his position as a young diplomat at the German embassy in Delhi. They were drawn to Rajput paintings (Indian miniatures from the Hindu schools of North India and Rajasthan) which were then available in Delhi and Mumbai, and later in New York, as several princely collections were being dispersed. Eva and Konrad were part of a small group of pioneer collectors who recognised the importance of Rajput painting at a time when Mughal and Persian painting was far more sought after in the West. The Seitz collection lures you into the enchanted domain of the Hindu gods, their epics and the never-ending trials and tribulations of divine and erotic love. What attracted and intrigued Seitz to Rajput paintings in particular was their ability to induce in the viewer a kind of poetic trance – which he saw as distinct from a more Western tradition of descriptive realism.
A Mystical Realm of Love is not only an opportunity to explore Pahari painting through one couple’s lifelong passion and dedication to the subject, but represents a major addition to the scholarship through Losty’s pioneering research. He attempts a new approach in documenting their role as parts of illustrated manuscripts of religious and poetic texts, and also puts forward a revised view of the development and chronology of Pahari painting.
J.P. Losty with a foreword by Konrad Seitz
A Mystical Realm of Love: Pahari Paintings from the Eva and Konrad Seitz Collection
November 2017
ISBN: 978-1-912-168-05-7
Hardback, 330 x 257 mm
400 pages, over 300 images
Published by Francesca Galloway
Distributed by Ad Ilissum
In the press
“An important addition to the scholarship of classical Indian painting … it is refreshing to be presented with a catalogue of high-quality paintings from a particular genre of Indian art history, which includes not only a detailed descriptive analysis for each painting but also a reevaluation and revision of theory. In the twenty-first century this is the way forward for the subject.” —The Burlington
"This sumptuous book is renewed scholar JP Losty’s expert appraisal of the entire Seitz Pahari collection … A Mystical Realm of Love is waiting to be enjoyed." —World of Interiors
"Leading collectors … this complete catalogue of the Pahari works emphasises their role in manuscripts and illustrated texts."
—Apollo Magazine"A major addition … a revised view of the development and chronology of Pahari painting." —Asian Art Newspaper
"In this superbly illustrated tome, aficionados of these artworks will find themselves in the midst of an exquisite and unique collection ... Meticulously researched ... this vibrant coffee-table book will surely find pride of place in your library!" —Verve Magazine