Sitar Collection

Persia, 1912. Artist: Georges Barbier
Persia, 1912. Illustration from The Art of Perfume, 1912. Pochoir print

Academy Poster for Satyajit Rays The Music Room (1958)
Satyajit Rays The Music Room (1958) Jalsaghar

Agra, India - Sitar player
Agra, India - Lady Sitar player

Elderly man playing a sitar by the Ganges (Ganga) River, Varanasi (Benares), Uttar Pradesh State, India

Sitar maker, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Illustration, sitar and musical note

Sitar and tabla player beside the Ganga River, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Dhumavati / Matangi, 1885-90. Creator: Unknown
Dhumavati/ Matangi, 1885-90

Shri Sheshanarayana, Vishnu Narayana on Shesha, 1886. Creator: Unknown
Shri Sheshanarayana, Vishnu Narayana on Shesha, 1886

Sitar player, India, Asia

Musicians playing the Sitar and Tabla on the banks of the River Ganges (Ganga), Varanasi (Benares), Uttar Pradesh State, India

Steps and wall on Castelo dos Mouros, Sintra, Portugal

Portrait of an elderly man playing the sitar, India

A Hindoo mendicant pilgrim, 1876. Creator: Unknown
A Hindoo mendicant pilgrim, 1876. Indian man with musical instruments. From "Illustrated London News", 1876

Karnati Ragini, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies), between c1730 and c1740. Creator: Unknown
Karnati Ragini, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies), between c1730 and c1740

Musical Performance (Recto); Page of Calligraphy (Verso), c1750. Creator: Unknown
Musical Performance (Recto); Page of Calligraphy (Verso), c1750

A Noble Being Entertained by a Female Musician, c1700. Creator: Unknown
A Noble Being Entertained by a Female Musician, c1700

St. Denis, Ruth, portrait photograph, 1933 Feb. 26. Creator: Arnold Genthe
St. Denis, Ruth, portrait photograph, 1933 Feb. 26

Hindu Monks (w/c on paper)
1764430 Hindu Monks (w/c on paper) by Indian School; Dinodia

Musician Lady (gouache and w/c on paper)
DND221224 Musician Lady (gouache and w/c on paper) by Indian School; Private Collection; Dinodia

Persia, illustration from The Art of Perfume, pub. 1912 (pochoir print)
STC91338 Persia, illustration from The Art of Perfume, pub. 1912 (pochoir print) by Barbier, Georges (1882-1932); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection

Traditional Dance (chromolitho)
735190 Traditional Dance (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Traditional Dance)

Indian Musical Instruments, plate 23 from Oriental Drawings, pub
STC86093 Indian Musical Instruments, plate 23 from Oriental Drawings, pub. 1806 (aquatint) by Gold, Charles Emilius (1803-71) (after); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English

Emperor Khurram with attendants
BAL40974 Emperor Khurram with attendants by Mughal School; Private Collection; (add.info.: The fifth Mughal emperor Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram (1592-1666), better known as Shah Jahan.); Indian

Travelling Singers, 1827-35 (colour litho)
478530 Travelling Singers, 1827-35 (colour litho) by Burnouf, M.E. (fl.1827-35); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sarada-Caren, chanteurs ambulans, illustration from L Inde Francaise)

MS 8300, detail of Indian musicians, from Storia do Mogor; or
LRI3725849 MS 8300, detail of Indian musicians, from Storia do Mogor; or, Mogul India 1653-1708 by Niccolao Manucci, translated by Stefano Nivibus Cardeira, Venice

Automne (Autumn) (colour litho)
3099087 Automne (Autumn) (colour litho) by Dodge, William de Leftwich (1867-1935) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Automne (Autumn)

Musicians with a large Kettle Drum, 1827-35 (colour litho)
478529 Musicians with a large Kettle Drum, 1827-35 (colour litho) by Burnouf, M.E. (fl.1827-35); Private Collection; (add.info.: Musiciens, illustration from L Inde Francaise, Paris: Chabrelle)

Evening party in the garden of a Mughal Palace, Lucknow or Murshidabad, West Bengal, 1760
EDI42071 Evening party in the garden of a Mughal Palace, Lucknow or Murshidabad, West Bengal, 1760 by Indian School, (18th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France; Indian, out of copyright

Musicians performing before an Indian princess (litho)
5997148 Musicians performing before an Indian princess (litho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Musicians performing before an Indian princess)

George Harrison of the Beatles pictured amongst the Buddhist American group, The Radha Krishna Temple. August 1969 Z08251-009

George Harrison of the Beatles pictured amongst the Buddhist American group, The Radha Krishna Temple. August 1969

A group of women in a garden, entertaining themselves with music and dancing, mid 18th century

A Prince holding an audience, ca. 1750. Creator: Unknown
A Prince holding an audience, ca. 1750

Lovers on a terrace, with an attendant and musicians, 18th century. Creator: Unknown
Lovers on a terrace, with an attendant and musicians, 18th century

Lovers on a terrace with three musicians, 18th century. Creator: Unknown
Lovers on a terrace with three musicians, 18th century

A Palace scene, 18th century. Creator: Unknown
A Palace scene, 18th century

A Lady and attendant on a terrace at evening, with three women musicians, 18th century

A summer month, possibly Vaisakh, folio from a Barahmasa series, ca. 1750

A Raja and a Guest Seated on a Terrace Listening to Musicians Perform, Folio from a manuscript of the Raga Darshan of Anup, AH 1214/1799-1800 AD

A Female Musician Charms an Antelope, ca. 1825. Creator: Unknown
A Female Musician Charms an Antelope, ca. 1825

Lady Musician Playing a Sitar, ca. 1800. Creator: Unknown
Lady Musician Playing a Sitar, ca. 1800

Sitar player, c. 1830-1840. Creator: Anonymous
Sitar player, c. 1830-1840. Found in the Collection of Bibliotheque universitaire des langues et civilisations orientales, Paris

Sitar player, India, 20th century

Houseboat party, Jhelum River, Kashmir, India, c1900s(?). Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Houseboat party, Jhelum River, Kashmir, India, c1900s(?). Stereoscopic card. In the foreground a man plays a sitar

Beggar, 1828. Artist: Marlet et Cie
Beggar, 1828. A lithograph from L Inde Francais, 1828. From the collection of Jean Claude Carriere

Woman playing sitar child French Algiers Algeria
Woman playing sitar with child; French; Algiers, Algeria; about 1870 - 1890; Albumen silver print

Ravi Shankar seen here holding his sitar June 1966

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The sitar, a mesmerizing stringed instrument originating from India, has captivated audiences for centuries. Its enchanting melodies can transport listeners to another time and place. In the Academy Poster for Satyajit Rays The Music Room (1958), the sitar takes center stage as it symbolizes the rich cultural heritage of Agra, India. This iconic film beautifully portrays the emotional power of music through the skilled hands of a sitar player. Traveling to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state, we encounter a master sitar maker who meticulously crafts each instrument with love and dedication. His workshop is filled with the sweet scent of wood shavings and resonates with the sounds of his craftsmanship. Alongside the holy Ganges River in Varanasi, an elderly man finds solace in playing his beloved sitar. As he plucks its strings, his soulful melodies blend harmoniously with nature's symphony. Intricate carvings adorn ancient instruments like Dhumavati/Matangi and Shri Sheshanarayana, showcasing their timeless beauty and artistic excellence. These masterpieces are testaments to both unknown creators' skill and devotion to their craft. An illustration featuring a sitar alongside musical notes reminds us that this instrument is not just an object but a vessel for expressing emotions beyond words. It carries within it stories untold yet understood by those who listen attentively. Musicians on the banks of rivers continue to breathe life into traditional Indian music as they play their sitars accompanied by tabla drums. Their rhythmic collaboration creates an ethereal atmosphere where time seems suspended. Even outside its birthplace, such as Sintra's Castelo dos Mouros in Portugal, steps lead us closer to discovering new dimensions unlocked by this mystical instrument's soundscapes. Finally, we come across a portrait capturing an elderly man lost in his own world while playing his cherished sitar.