Page 177 - Eye of the beholder

To the right of Siva is a galaxy of divinities beginning with the multi headed Brahma with multi crowns and Vishnu in blue holding a morchal, and between them is representation of a young paunchy sage who also holds a morchal in his hand. Behind Vishnu is the son of Siva, Ganesha with a crown on his head, the trunk has the chauri while his hand holds a tray of modakas or laddus. It is a very charming delineation where he is painted in sprightly orange and large round eyes. The crown is western in design as worn by emperors in Europe and is made in gold and studded with precious stones of emeralds and rubies. In addition there are pearl strands at the side of his head. Behind these divine personalities are the sages characterized by their long hair tied in a knot and resting on the nape of their neck and with a beard and moustache. Age is shown by the colour of the hair as well as by its length.
The composition has a structured organization with Siva in focus though placed off centered, with the placement of men and women on either side. The drawing in this miniature is not very firm but loosely handled as can be detected in the foliage as well as in the representation of the architectural elements as the parapet and the geometric patterning within it. Lines have lost their elegance and delicacy and replaced with heavy bounded outlines. This creates a heavy visual look and adds to the sturdy earthy overall appearance. Colours remain the mainstay of this work as they have spring like freshness and judicious placement as the creamy rocks with pink outlines with the green of the foliage.
The painting has multitude of figures that has been sensibly managed by the artist, without overcrowding or giving a visual impression of heaviness compositionally. Moreover the colours are pleasant as well as the setting which is a blend of architecture and nature.
The contiguous kingdoms of Jodhpur, Jaipur and Mewar had quite similar styles, with itinerant artists moving from one court to another and as they did that also disseminated their cultural influences enriching the works with a multitude of styles they had been exposed to in their artistic journey.
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