Fit for a king: paintings of the final flowering of the Burmese court

[Burma - parabaik]. [Burmese court scenes - folding book].

€ 38,000.00

A lavishly illustrated Burmese parabaik manuscript, completely hand-painted in scenes and figures, probably from the court workshop of the royal court at Mandalay. Dominating the work are the ten court scenes across 31 folios, recording the major events of the year. These include the regatta festival in the 6th month of the traditional Burmese calendar, when the royal family too would submit a boat for the race, and the royal ploughing ceremony, Lehtun Mingala, held at midsummer to ensure a good harvest. In several scenes, musical troupes entertain the royal court, who are seated to the left under a canopy watching Zat pwe, Burmese classical dance, accompanied by an orchestra (Saing waing). Such performances were often based on Jakata stories, incredibly popular across Burmese history. The scenes conclude with several dedicated to the capture of wild white elephants (Sinpyudaw) for the king. As symbols of power for a ruler, and associated with the Buddha, white elephants were hugely prized, and the capture and offering of one to the king was certainly worthy of celebration in a parabaik.

On the reverse folios of the manuscript is a suite of paired 'types': dancers, soldiers, courtiers, and specific ethnic groups of the kingdom. The front cover of the manuscript additionally shows what appears to be a portrait, perhaps even of an individual ruler. During this period, the blossoming of Burmese illustrated folding book art was overseen by two sequential kings: the style of this manuscript was developed under King Mindon (1808-78) and continued in the reign of King Thibaw (1859-1916), the last two monarchs of Burma before the British invasion.

Similar examples to the present manuscript are held in the Victoria & Albert Museum (see acc. no. IS.13-1958), the Schøyen Collection, London and Oslo (see MS 2475), and the Metropolitan Museum, New York.