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The present lot depicts a Hindu Kishangarh ruler with folded
hands, welcoming a Mughal prince, who is on horseback. The
faith and origins of the figures can be determined by their
clothing and features. The Hindu men wear their sashes or
jamas
tied to the left. The beard and
jama
tied to the right
defines figures of the Islamic faith. The turbans worn by both
the parties are Shah Jahani.
This early Kishangarh painting has been rendered in the
“Mughal
nim qalam
(half‒pen) technique, characterised by
the use of ink outlines and subtly modulated tonal washes
accentuated with highlights in color and gold.” (Kathryn Calley
Galitz,
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Masterpiece Paintings
,
New York: Skira Rizzoli, 2016, p. 277). Kishangarh was very
close to Ajmer which had been a Mughal stronghold since
the reign of Akbar. As a result, this school absorbed several
influences from the Mughal court, including depictions of
architecture, choice of colour palette, and portraiture. The
stippled, elongated rendering of the horses in the present
lot shows the influence of well‒known Kishangarh artist
Bhavanidas. Of a related painting, Navina Haider writes that
the horses “...display a markedly curving back and splayed legs,
giving rise to the typical ‘Kishangarh horse.’” (Milo C Beach,
Eberhard Fischer and B N Goswamy eds.,
Masters of Indian
Painting II 1650‒1900
, ZÜrich: Artibus Asiae Publishers, 2011, p.
544) The composition and placement of figures may also be
influenced by Bhavanidas.
30
RAJPUT RULER RECEIVING A MUGHAL PRINCE
KISHANGARH, CIRCA 1750
Gouache on paper heightened with gold
Image: 7.25 x 8.75 in (18.6 x 22.3 cm)
Rs 20,00,000 ‒ 25,00,000
$ 29,855 - 37,315
NON‒EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY
PROVENANCE
The Motichand Khajanchi Collection