Yesterday was preview day at the Met.
The Mets new Indian Miniature exhibit opens tomorrow. 
200 examples of exquisite small qouache paintings...
And not to be missed! 
You want to dress 'Indian' - magnifying glasses are provided.
The only other place you'll see this exhibit is Zurich - it was a 2 year collaborative effort. Examples range from worldwide collections including the Queen and Windsor Castle...
A perfect portrait of Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal painted on horseback.
An unfinished miniature reveals the stages of creation...
A film shows how...
So many watercolor papers are still made in India... 
The original pigments used, many saved in clamshells...
I spent time in India in the fashion biz and fell in love with miniatures - Kumar Gallery let me sit in a back room and go through stacks of painted papers - this is my mini collection.
I came home, immersed myself in gouache and tiny brushes. Here a later variation, painted in watercolor - my niece the chef, Louisa levitating after graduating from the Naturel Gourmet cooking school.
In '97 I went back to Northern India with my sister...
We stayed at the fabulous Jagat Niwas Palace hotel in Udaipur owned by the Maharana Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar. A grand soiree was held in celebration of the new moon. Everyone dressed in white as was the food. 
The Maharana and I chatted about miniatures and he invited me to view his private collection after the party. His paintings were protected by two stuffed tigers emerging from either side of the gallery walls. 'You must go past the tigers,' he commanded.
He served me Indian Champagne...
The clock struck midnight...
'I have to go.' I said.
'Ah, you are afraid of me,''YES' and ran out the door.
I still get invitations to the annual awards ceremony in March from the kind Maharana.
Lovely Indian treasures are waiting for you in the Met gift shop 
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