Maharana Sajjan Singh riding in an elephant procession, Mewar, Rajasthan, India, circa 1880

Opaque watercolour heightened with gold on paper

Spots of paint loss in the areas of white paint. In good condition overall, as viewed. This work is unframed.
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Maharana Sajjan Singh was sixteen years old when he came to the throne, his reign only lasting ten years due to excessive drinking. Very few paintings from this period survive due to the introduction of photography in the late nineteenth century (see Topsfield, Court Painting at Udaipur:Art Under the Patronage of the Maharanas of Mewar, Zurich, 2001). This rare painting offers an insight into the pomp and splendour that accompanied the courtly processions at this time. The influence of the artist Tara is clearly evident in the green background and composition, however this painting is more naturalistic in style with the delicate use of shading and colour tones and in the rendering of the elephant.