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AN EQUESTRIAN PORTRAIT OF A PORTRAIT OF MAHARANA JAGAT This appears to be a favored venue by
MAHARAJA SARDAR SINGH SINGH II both Jagat Singh and Ari Singh for intimate
MEWAR, CIRCA 1840 ENJOYING A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE settings. The ‘sun window’, with its multi-
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; BY DEVA, UDAIPUR, CIRCA 1740-50 colored stained glass and an upper gallery
Recto inscribed in devanagari: Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; verso of white jali panels, are seen throughout
Maharaja Ji Shri Sardar Singh Ji Gaad Ore inscribed in devanagari: their paintings. A closely related composition
Kechek; “Maharaja Sardar Singh riding the Deva....Jagat Singh Ji Sagram Singhot; with the ruler conversing with two sardars,
horse Ore Kechek”. “Jagat Singh, descendant of Sangram Singh, dated 1745-50, is in the National Gallery of
Image:10 3/8 x 8 1/2 in. (26.9 x 21.5 cm) rendered by Deva”. Victoria (Topsfield, Paintings from Rajasthan,
Image: 14.5 x 10 in. (36.8 x 25.4 cm); Melbourne 1980, no.121). Maharana Ari Singh
Folio: 17 x 11 7/8 in. (43.1 x 29.9 cm) II receiving his sardars by Bhima dated 1764
$3,000 - 5,000
is arranged in a similar tight composition
(ibid., no.166). A work signed by the artist
Lavishly attired and bejeweled the youthful $10,000 - 15,000 Sukh Luhar dated 1750 also shows the ruler
rana is mounted on favored stallion in the on a similar golden throne from a rotated
presence of various courtiers on foot. Sardar Seated before the ‘sun window’ of the perspective (Topsfield, Court Painting at
Singh ruled 1838-42, assuming the throne City Palace of Udaipur, the corpulent ruler Udaipur, Zurich, 1990, p.187, no.162).
from the heirless Jawan Singh. For another squeezes into his throne-like high stool. He is
portrait see Spink & Son, The Sublime Image, entertained by an all-female musical ensemble Provenance
London, 1997, no. 10. and comforted by the wafted long peacock- Private California Collection
feather fan and gilded huqqa. The performing
Provenance group’s star singer is dressed in a striking gold
Spink & Son, London, mid 1980s angarkha, suggesting her possible celebrity,
Henry Ginsberg Collection, London while everyone else wears tiger orange
E W Asian Art, Pasadena, 2007 garments that beautifully unifies the overall
The Estate of Paul F. Walter, New York composition.

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