Group portrait of young Maharajadhiraj Savant Simh with Courtiers
There are several portraits of Savant Simh representing him at various stages of his life. Here he appears as a young man. It has a detailed inscription on the reverse listing his son, young prince Kunvar Ajit Simh, who is sitting in front of his father on the carpet supported by a big bolster. Beside him delineated in a group are his courtiers, whose names are listed as Sri Rao Bahadur (the divan), Rao Himmat Rai, Lala Nainsukh, Lala Shankardas. On the opposite side are a group of women musicians and a dancer. It is likely that among them are standing the queen and some of them represent wives of the courtiers. The painter has made it clear that it is not a formal court painting but more of a celebration in the palace household in which women-folk also have a role.
Period:
1752 AD
Measurement:
22.6 cm x 30.1 cm
Accession Number:
NCM 288
Category:
-
Provenance or region:
Orchha, Madhya Pradesh
Style:
Painting on paper