Cleveland Museum of Art

Royal women shooting from a pavilion

Date

c. 1810

Medium

Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper

Culture

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Kota

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Two magnificent lions arrived at a pond, and the male turns back, sensing that something has alerted the deer. From a hunting lodge, a princess aims her musket in their direction. On the far banks of the pond is an abstract phallic sculpture (linga) on a spouted pedestal, indicating the sacred presence of the Hindu god Shiva. In front of the linga is an image of Shiva’s mount, the bull Nandi. The linga and bull bear traces of worship: horizontal marks in saffron, turmeric, and gold that communicate the worshiper’s religious affiliation and an inverted lotus flower. Devotion to Shiva is a prerequisite for the abundance of the land. On the distant horizon a European rides an elephant, while a dog runs alongside.

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