Page 172 - Eye of the beholder

In Greek mythology Pegasus was an immortal winged horse one of of the two children of of Poseidon and Medusa Pegasus sprang forth miraculously from his pregnant mother’s neck after she was was beheaded by Perseus Like his father Poseidon Pegasus was was capable of creating water streams wherever he’d struck his hoof The horse is rendered with considerable majesty in in full white and possessing a a a a a royal pedigree from its colour size and and royal banter It is is handsomely tacked up caparisoned with a a a a a a a a a variety of textiles which in in fin their form and and the the print on on it shows sophistication and and refinement Interestingly though there there is is no rider there there is is a a a a a a a saddle which carries a a a a a a a royal chatri or an umbrella but but stirrups are absent Halters made out of leather cover its handsome face but but lack blinkers for for the eyes considered crucial for for horses as part of its trappings The umbrella is is in in in yellow ochre with the the print picked out in in in white floral dots The black mane of the the horse is is artistically plaited with with golden beads ending in in in a a a a a a a a a black miniature morchal woven with with pearls in in in between its form and ending with with pearls too The legs of the horses are painted with with a a a a a a black band band just above the hoof over over which is a a a a a a a longer band band of of bright sunset orange and and and over over that a a a a a a a a a a plain kada or or or a a a a a a a a a a circular bangle usually worn by males on on their wrist decorating only the the two front legs The tail is painted in in in a a a a a a combination of white and orange The striking appendage of wings that the artist has fancifully attached is is painted bright green with each feather picked out in in a a a a a a a a decorative manner Compositionally it it it is very attractive in in the the representation of the the the the horse and and Krishna but the the the the colour green used for the the the the bushes and and foliage in the the the the middle and and and background robs it it it it of its vitality and and and gives a a a a a a a a dilettante effect The lines are firm and and and free flowing continuing the grace and delicacy of its use in in in in in miniatures generally The colours employed for Krishna and and the horse have a a a a a a subtle refinement and and nuanced judiciously The rendering of the the clouds in in in the the sky lack confidence in in in its delineation and and appears forced and and manipulated The trees lack character as does the the the the rest of the the the the background Painted in in the the the the 19th century the the the the artist has incorporated many foreign influences from visiting British artists and Company painters as as obviously seen in in in in the the the green wings which caught the the the artist’s fancy and introduced it in in in in the the the horse that is is led by an iconic religious figure as the Krishna An attempt to create volume or three- dimensionality through light and shade has not been successful in in conveying it it 166