Maharana Bhim Singh of Mewar feasting, with horse and shooting displays, by Ghasi, Mewar, Udaipur, dated 1825

gouache heightened with gold on paper, with a gold inner border and outer borders decorated with gold flowerheads, inscribed on the reverse with thirty lines of descriptive text in black nasta'liq script, signed and dated in red by the scribe "Sayyid Ibrahim 'Ali in his hometown Delhi. Samvat 1883" [A.D.1825-26], bearing Mewari inventory numbers '4/312' and a valuation of 'Rs.50'

Mewar Royal Collection (inventory numbers on the verso)
Prof. R.A. Dara, London (d.1966)
Acquired in 1966

Topsfield 1987, p.96, under no.43
Topsfield 2002, p.237, and footnote 137

In good overall condition, colours vivid and gold bright, 2-inch tear with associated repair to lower left leaf edge, minor losses to edges, as viewed.
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Ghasi was a highly accomplished artist who was employed by Maharana Bhim Singh (r.1778-1828) and was responsible for several large and impressive court and architectural scenes in the 1820s and 1830s. He was recruited by James Tod during his residency in Mewar and accompanied him on his travels to make architectural drawings. He is mentioned in Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (first published 1829-32) and his architectural drawings made for Tod are now in the Royal Asiatic Society.

The long description of this painting on the verso is signed by Ibrahim 'Ali and states that it depicts Maharana Bhim Singh (the words Maharaja Adhiraj are part of his full title) with many others, their ranks and positions in the painting all named. It was presented to "His Most Holy presence" in Samvat 1883 (1825-6). Another long inscription by Ibrahim 'Ali is to be found on the verso of a further Udaipur painting by Ghasi now in the Ackland Art Museum (Topsfield 2002, p.236-7, fig.216). The gold-decorated borders on the recto and verso of the present painting are essentially Mughal in style and were probably attached in Delhi where Ibrahim Ali wrote his inscription.

For a historical survey of the artist's career, see Topsfield, op.cit., pp.234-250; and for other paintings by or attributed to Ghasi, see ibid., pp.235-237, col. figs.215-217; Turin 1985, p.29, no.28; Topsfield 1990, pp.68-73, nos.24-25; Sotheby's, London, 26 April 1994, lots 48-50; 23 April 1996, lot 55.