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Francesca Galloway Ltd

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Francesca Galloway Ltd

Francesca Galloway, a world renowned leading specialist dealer in Indian painting and courtly objects, and Islamic and European textiles.

17/06/2026

Printed and painted cottons arguably have had the longest and greatest global impact of all India’s remarkable textile traditions.
Our summer exhibition features three unusual chintzes produced for the domestic market as well as export.

A unusual example (cat. 7), probably made for the domestic market, combines elements that reminds one of chintz intended for the Japanese and Thai markets, but also references border decoration on mid-17th-century qanat panels from Golconda.

A rare p’orurar, a liturgical stole worn by priests and bishops around the neck, was commissioned for Armenian patrons (cat. 9). The only other known p’orurar is a splendid example in the V&A (Inv. IS.2-1953).

Lastly, we have a section of a canopy depicting animals amongst flowering plants, which would have been produced for the Indonesian market (cat. 5). This textile shows mythical and real animals, creating a vibrant textile full of whimsy and energy.

See link in bio for the full catalogue descriptions.

11/06/2026

The summer online catalogue is now out – link in bio!

Our online publication features textiles produced for domestic and export markets, including a liturgical stole made for an Armenian patron (cat. 9). We illustrate a Mughal folio of the so-called ‘Burnt Edge’ Ramayana (cat. 1) and two Ragamala folios from a Chamba set (cats. 12a & b). Two varying examples depicting the peoples of India are exemplified by a group of clay figurines (cat. 22) and six Murshidabad studies on paper from the Parlby Album (cat. 23).

We thank our various contributors, but not least John Seyller for working with us on this publication.

Cat. 13 / Alauddin hunts with Muhrathi and Mahima Mir later interrupts his Lo******ng with Muhrathi to shoot a charging Tiger – Folio from a Hammira Hatha Series / Mandi, attributed to Sajnu, c. 1810

Cat. 4 / A Princess seated on a Palace Balcony surrounded by her female Attendants / Mughal, Murshidabad, c. 1750–55

Cat. 25 / Portrait of a Young Prince / Gujarat, Baroda c. 1870–1900

Cat. 12b / Raga Chandra, Son of Malkos – Folio from a Ragamala / Chamba, c.1700

Cat. 22 / A Group of 22 Clay Figurines depicting the Peoples of India / Krishnangar, attributed to Jadunath Pal, c. 1880–90

Cat. 24 / Gateway to Emperor Akbar’s Tomb at Sikandra / Agra, for a British patron, early 19th century

Cat. 10 / Exotic flowering Plant and Butterflies / Rajasthan, Kishangarh, c. 1750–60

Cat. 23 / Dancing Lady after a Lucknow Artist’s Version of a lost Painting by Tilly Kettle – From the Parlby Album / Murshidabad, assembled by Louisa Parlby, c. 1795 – 1803

Cat. 5 / Section of a Canopy depicting Animals amongst flowering Plants / Southern Coromandel Coast for the Indonesian market, 1700–1720

Cat.27 / Interior View of the Central Octagonal Chamber of the Taj Mahal / Agra, for a British patron, c. 1816–20

Cat. 7 / Palampore or Canopy / Coastal Southeast India, for the domestic market, 1775–1800

Cat. 8 / Fine Silk embroidered Cotton Length / India, Gujarat, for export to Europe, c. 1760

02/06/2026

We are excited to share this post about an exceptional album of South Indian Company School paintings from the mid-1830s. Consisting of 35 large paintings, the Vellore Album is bound in its original fine leather covers. Most of the sheets depict various trades, craftsmen, processions and dignitaries. This album was one of the surprises in ‘Forgotten Masters - Indian Paintings for the East India Company‘ because it also features a sensitive self-portrait of the artist with a caption identifying him as Yellapah Picture Moochee. Two other albums with parallel themes can now be attributed to this artist: one is held by the V&A (IS.39:28-1987), and the other by the British Library (Add.Or.65).

Vellore, in Tamil Nadu, was where deposed monarchs resided. For example, there are two beautiful paintings depicting the former King of Kandy being carried on a palanquin, and another showing his son with his two uncles.

The patron of this album, who remains unknown, perhaps resided at ’May Place Vellore‘. Unlike the Fraser and Impey albums, this one remains intact.

30/05/2026

In May, we visited the Princeton University Art Museum to see their collection, and the new building by David Adjaye. The museum’s restrained elegance is on a par with the art, and it left us dreaming. Here are a few highlights of what we saw.
During the same Trip we visited India’s Great Mughals: Art Power and Opulence at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (on until 23 Aug 2026). This exhibition, first shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum, includes here important Mughal paintings from the Heeramaneck collection (in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and borrowed from Los Angeles County Museum of Art). The display was pleasing because it was so spacious, and the lighting was wonderful. It made the rock crystal objects twinkle like diamonds!

Go and see both and if you can.

1 Princeton University Art Museum’s new building by David Adjaye

2 Detail of The Goddess Durga Slaying Demons, Pahari, poss. Mankot, c. 1690-1710 (Princeton inv. y1947-341.4)

3 Peng Wei, Autumn of Tang Dynasty, 2008 (Princeton inv. 2021-11)

4 Display of courtly objects including Bidri work at Princeton

5 Detail of Balarama Kills Dhenukasura, from the Harivamsha, c. 1585, attributed to Basawan (LACMA from the Heeramaneck collection inv. M.78.9.10) at VMFA

6 & 7 Details of The Arrival of Nanda & his family in Vrindavan, from the Harivamsha, c.1585/6, at VMFA

8 & 9 Emperor Jahangir Embracing Nur Jahan, c. 1615-20, attributed Govardhan (LACMA from the Heeramaneck collection inv. M.83.1.6) at VMFA

10 Installation with poppy floorspread (V&A inv. Im.77-1938) and carved rock crystal objects at VMFA

19/05/2026

Pahari Painting Trifecta at the beginning of May, around the Benkaim collection.

A very ambitious and successful tour of Cleveland, Cincinnati and Washington DC. Here are a few of my many highlights!

Starting with a detail of Jahangir preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings by Bichitr from the St. Petersburg album (full image at the end).

Cleveland Museum of Art
-Goddess standing on a mountaintop, c. 1720, (ex Benkaim collection inv. 2018.98)
-Detail of Rishyashringa addesses the courtesans, from the ‘Shangri’ Ramayana, c. 1700, (inv. 2002.6)
-Detail of Rama tells his mother Kaushalya that he has been exiled to the forest, from the ‘Shangri’ Ramayana, c. 1700; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (ex. Heeramaneck collection, inv. 68.8.90)
-Ravana abducts Sita; she drops her jewellery, from the ‘Shangri’ Ramayana, c. 1700; Tia collection
-Brocaded velvet cover with sunbursts, Ottoman, c. 1600, (inv. 2008.146)

Cincinnati Art Museum
-Catherine Benkaim in front of A tuberose plant, c. 1730; photographed at Cincinnati Art Museum
-Detail of Raja Shamsher Sen of Mandi on his wedding day, c. 1740 (inv. 1983.14)
-Detail of Fishermen unable to hold the giant fish, Imperial Mughal by Manohar Das, 1595-1600, (inv. 1950.284)

National Museum of Asian Art, Washington DC
-Detail of Portrait of Raja Jagat Singh of Nurpur (r. 1618-46), by Bichitr; (ex Benkaim collection inv. 2013.324 on loan from The Cleveland Museum of Art)
-Detail of Arrival of the groom at the palace, from a Bhagavata Purana, attributed to the early Mandi Master, c. 1640-50, (inv. F2017.13.1)
-The Goddess worshipped by the sage Chyavana from a Ta***ic Devi series, c. 1660-70, (inv. F1997.8)
-Detail of a Chola bronze of Queen Sembiyan Mahadevi as the Goddess Uma, 10th century, (inv. F1929.84)
-Jahangir preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings, from the St. Petersburg Album, Imperial Mughal, by Bichitr, c. 1615-1618, margins Persian, 1747-48, (inv. F1942.15a) + detail

16/04/2026

Food is not just for eating when it comes to Schiaparelli!

Another passion of ours is early 20th century fashion. Go and see the Schiaparelli show at the V&A.

SCHIAPARELLI - Fashion becomes Art on until the 8th November

25/02/2026

A selection of Pahari painting and other works of art are now on our website and on view in London by appointment, link in bio.

The Pahari Rajas commissioned the most passionate, enigmatic, and at times some of the greatest Indian paintings.
This year the , and are working together to research, publish and display works from the Pahari Kingdoms from the Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Ralph Benkaim Collection. We are excited about these shows and can’t wait to see them.

1 Detail Goddess Kali
Mandi, c. 1750
Opaque pigments on paper
25 x 16.7 cm

2 Detail Large textile depicting a scene from the Ramayana
Coromandel Coast for the Indonesian market, late 18th century
Cotton, hand-drawn and mordant-dyed
100 x 480 cm

3 Detail Two unhappy Women - Folio from a Ragamala series
Arki, Baghal, c.1700
Gouache on paper
Folio 21.3 x 18.4 cm; painting 19.5 x 16.7 cm

US exhibitions of Pahari paintings:

Cincinnati Art Museum
Longing: Painting from the Pahari Kingdoms of the Northwest Himalayas
6 February – 7 June 2026

The Cleveland Museum of Art
Epic of the Northwest Himalayas: Pahari Paintings from the ‘Shangri’ Ramayana
19 April – 16 August 2026
Pahari Paintings: Art and Stories
18 January – 13 September 2026

National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.
Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms
18 April – 26 July 2026

18/02/2026

Woven from colourful silk, this large patterned and striped textile is a revival of historical silk mantles called lamba akotifahana and was produced by a group of master weavers in Antananarivo, Madagascar. For the last 30 years these weavers have been at the forefront of a resurgence in the craft of classical Malagasy silk weaving. A fire in 1995 at the Queen’s palace in Antananarivo destroyed the most significant historical collection of these textiles. However, the artist weavers from Lamba SARL Studio drew inspiration from rare surviving examples and incorporated many of the techniques and patterns used in the grandest 19th century textiles. Originally these pieces were worn by the elites of the Imerina Kingdom (c. 1540–1897), whose royals also gave them as diplomatic gifts.

Although the design suggests it is a single woven fabric, the textile is in fact assembled from seven handwoven lengths.

Other textiles from this workshop are in various museum collections, such as the Cleveland Museum of Art (inv. 2021.167), National Museum of African Art (inv. 2001-2-1), The British Museum (inv. Af1993,14.1), The ROM, Toronto (inv. 2021.26.1), and The Art Institute of Chicago (inv. 1998.84). The MET’s newly opened Michael C. Rockefeller Wing has their lamba (inv 1999.102) on display.

Image 1 Detail of Lamba Akotifahana (Silk Mantle)
Madagascar, 2006–2007
Silk
236 × 193 cm

Image 2 Full image

Image 3 Lamba mpanjaka marevaka (king’s bright mantle) in the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

07/02/2026

My friend Pip Rau’s Central Asian textiles and objects are being sold at Olympia’s online auction (ends 1st March).
Pip was one of the most stylish and intrepid people I have ever met. She was my best friend.
I first got to know her when we travelled together with her two sons to Russia and Central Asia in the 1980s for a book she was preparing on her textile collection. It was a life-changing adventure for me.
Her love of Uzbek textiles, costumes and the friends she made in this field permeated every aspect of her life.
The auction offers a wide selection for the home, the collector, and the enthusiast! Check Olympia’s catalogue out and if you can, go and view the textiles and objects in person. I am sure you will find some treasures.

Francesca

The Pip Rau Collection of Ikats, Embroideries and Costumes

3rd Feb to 1st March
Olympia Auctions

Images:

1 Pip Rau published in Elle Decoration April 1995 (Lot 128 in background)

2 Lot 11 A BOY’S IKAT CHAPAN, BOKHARA, UZBEKISTAN, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

3 Detail of Lot 95 and 96 A GROUP OF PORCELAIN TEAPOTS, RUSSIA FOR THE CENTRAL ASIAN MARKET, 20TH CENTURY

4 Detail of Lot 111 AN IKAT PANEL, BOKHARA, UZBEKISTAN, THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

5 Detail of Lot 57 A ZOROASTRIAN (PARSI) WEDDING SHAWL, PERSIA, POSSIBLY YAZD, MID 19TH CENTURY

6 Pip Rau’s home in London showing Lot 1

7 Detail of Lot 128 A SHAKHRISYABZ NICHE SUZANI, UZBEKISTAN, MID 19TH CENTURY OR EARLIER

8 Detail of Lot 152 A LARGE IKAT PANEL, UZBEKISTAN, MID 19TH CENTURY

27/11/2025

We have just received ‘A Dubious Place’ by Eberhard Fischer. This remarkable 145-page monograph focuses on an intriguing late-18th century Pahari painting that was once part of the Ludwig Habighorst collection, and is now at the Museum Rietberg. In this work, Fischer skilfully analyses the painting and identifies Nikka, the third son of Nainsukh, as its artist. Fischer has the ability to guide the viewer through the various stages of how to look at, investigate and analyse a painting. This fascinating study is an essential addition to any enthusiast’s or collector’s library.
Eberhard Fischer transformed the Museum Rietberg’s collection of Indian painting and the study of this subject during his 27 years as Director.

This publication is available to purchase from shop.

Eberhard Fischer
A Dubious Place
Artibus Asiae Publishers
Hardcover, 139 pages
Size 31 x 24.5 cm
ISBN 978-3-907077-75-7

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Tuesday	10am - 5pm
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Friday	10am - 5pm

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