Cleveland Museum of Art

Portrait of Sardar Singh (Son of Savant Singh, 1730–68)

Date

c. 1760

Medium

Gum tempera and gold on paper

Culture

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Kishangarh

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The ruler of the princely state of Kishangarh chose to have himself depicted in an intoxicatingly paradisiacal setting. He and his queen occupy jeweled chairs on a white marble terrace with formal flower gardens overlooking a lake. They listen to a musical performance while female attendants stand ready to whisk away flies and serve tiny bottles liquor. The fresh palette and dramatically elongated eyes, especially on the women, are hallmarks of the most celebrated works from this Rajput court. The king is portrayed with less exaggerated features than the women, which makes him seem more human, despite the halo that sets off his face and elaborate turban. The ducks, rabbits, and deer in the landscape are in pairs, contributing to the amorous mood.

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