Les miniatures indiennes de la collection Feuillet de Conches

The collector Félix Feuillet de Conches (1798-1887) wanted to make La Fontaine's Fables known in every country of the world. In India, Generals Allard and Ventura, who were in the service of Ranjit Singh, Maharajah of Lahore, acted as intermediaries. In 1837 they had miniatures made at Attock (Punjab), of which 64 remain and on which are 59 illustrations of the fables. The painter was Imam Bakhsh Lahori, though he was probably assisted by another artist. This would explain certain variations in the quality, particularly in the treatment of the animals. However, these paintings are bursting with colour, gleaming with gold and remarkable for their variety and for the perfection of their composition. The European influences occasionally appear in an unusual manner. On the other hand, the snow-covered mountains of the Himalayas constitute scenery unusual in the illustrations of the Fables. Some of the fables were inspired by Indian stories, and this therefore represents a « return to the sources ». These pictures are kept at the Musée Jean de la Fontaine at Château-Thierry.Lobligeois Mireille. Les miniatures indiennes de la collection Feuillet de Conches. In: Arts asiatiques, tome 47, 1992. pp. 19-28