Description

The painted bromide photograph depicts a portrait of a Parsi Lady wearing a black embroidered Gara sari with floral motifs and a blue blouse. The lady stands facing the viewer while her gaze is directed outwards. The atmosphere and the style of execution is reminiscent of the one adopted by travelling Chinese artists who painted portraits commissioned by affluent Parsee patrons in India during the late 19th century. The stylistic and technical mastery of the artist is highlighted in the rendering of elements like the intricately painted floral motifs on the sari, the velvet texture and folds of the upholstery and the tonality of the sitters’ skin.