Courtier Refusing Wine from Indian Courtesans
c. 1650-1700
Description
Three elegantly dressed figures occupy the foreground of this painting under lacquer: a beardless youth in a caracul hat and two women in diaphanous head scarves. The youth refuses the offer of red wine from the nearer woman, pushing against her shoulder with his outstretched left arm, while his right hand rests on the jeweled sheath of his dagger. The two women wear Indianizing garments with gold-ground sashes. Tiny figures in the background are cut off at the top, suggesting the painting has been cut down from its original size.
Dimensions
22.9 x 17.1 cm (9 x 6 3/4 in.) mount: 27.7 x 19.6 cm (10 7/8 x 7 11/16 in.)
Provenance
[Sotheby's, London, 1 July 1969, lot 336], sold; to Edwin Binney, 3rd Collection, California (1969-2011), bequest; to Harvard Art Museums, 2011.
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