Lot 117
A MAGNIFICENT PALACE TERRACE SCENE
INDIA, RAJASTHAN, UDAIPUR, CIRCA 1735
Auction: 10 June 2026 from 14:00 BST
Description
gouache on paper heightened in gold, depicting Krishna being worshipped at court, the foreground showing a procession of footmen, followed by Horseguards, the horses in rows according to colours, followed by mounted elephants and a horse-drawn chariot, the facade behind them composed of jali windows and open balconies, the two large courtyards covered in luxurious carpets, to the left Krishna with two attendants visited by palace ladies, and to the right the ruler is holding court, further palace facades at the back, luscious arboretum behind the palace walls upper left, mounted, glazed and framed
Dimensions
31.4cm x 26cm
Provenance
Private collection, London.
Footnote
Although it is difficult to precisely identify the ruler in this painting, it may possibly depict Maharana Jagat Singh II (r. 1734-51) worshipping at a Krishna festival. Unlike his father Maharana Sangram Singh (r. 1710-1734), Jagat Singh II was a weak ruler and as noted by James Tod was 'addicted to pleasure'. However, like the rest of his family, he was a great patron of the arts and extended the Udaipur palace, spending £250,000 adding to the embellishment of the islets of Lake Pichola. Hindu festivals were a prominent part of court life instituted by Jagat Singh II and again as noted by Tod 'nine holidays in seven days' gave plenty of scope for the active school of Mewar painting. For further comparisons and discussion see: J. Tod, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, London, 1920; A. Topsfield, Paintings from Rajasthan in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1980, pp. 12-13, nos. 113 and 114.