Yesterday was preview day at the Met
The Mets new Indian Painting 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.
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. Portrait of my niece, cookbook author, Louisa Shafi.
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. The menu was all-white food. 
The Maharana and I chatted about miniatures. He invited me to view his private collection after the soiree. 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-made Champagne 🍾 and showed me his portrait (topless) collection.
The clock struck midnight 🕛
'I MUST to go.'I said. My sister was waiting
'Ah…you are afraid of me,'
'YES' I said and ran out the door.
I still get invitations to the annual awards ceremony in March from the kind Maharana.
