Silk Road

Framed painting: a caravan passing through mountains – a man in a white turban, pink shirt and brown belt, light brown trousers and high dark brown boots, leads a brown horse with two packs and white horses; followed by a rider in a white turban around red cap, with a red-brown robe and pale blue shirt and trousers and grey high boots; and a beige saddle (no stir-rope) riding a dark brown horse with white harness. These figures are passing from left to right along a rising rocky path. Behind them passing from right to left, are two pedestrians and a camel; the front figure is in a white turban with a blue, pointed cap, a dark-blue robe over a red shirt and a white belt leads the camel by its bridle. The camel, a Bactrian, has two packs, pink with brown bindings and harness. The rear man in a white turban, dash brown robe and green shirt, beats the camel with a stick. A scroll-shaped white cloud is in a clear blue sky. With three borders: outer- in pale blue, middle – in green and pink flowers on green, inner – in pale ochre.

The painting is mounted with a plain brown material, glazed and with a pale brown wooden frame. The painter’s signature is written on the back. Painting in style (colours and dress) of a Persian miniature. The scene, a caravan passing through wooded mountainous scenery, with the characteristics and animals half observed, in the scene as in 19 Mongolian engravings, see for example Gilmour Rev. J., nd. ‘Among the Mongols’ London: The Religious Trent Society. Gilmour’s illustrations 2Art the Wash of a Chinese Artist in Kalgon” see p. 382, described as a ‘Native Sketch.’