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Lot Essay
In this painting, Raja Jagat Prakash of Sirmur (r.1770-1789), dressed in a simple long white jama, cummerbund and turban, stands on the left hand side with his hands folded in prayer before the enthroned Rama and Sita. He is depicted towering over all the other figures in the painting. Rama, dressed in saffron robes and carrying a bow and arrow, is seated with his consort Sita on a bejewelled throne. His younger brothers, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughana stand respectfully behind him. Rama’s animal army is represented by the king of the bears, Jambavan, and the monkeys, Hanuman, Angada and Sugriva who stand just below the priest adoring the deities.
This portrait of Raja Jagat Prakash finds comparison with two other known portraits of the ruler painted in Kangra around 1770-1780 (Archer, 1973, Vol. I, 8 (vi), (vii); illus. in Vol. II, pp.196-197). The portraits published in Archer, formerly in the collection of Raja Dhrub Dev Chand of Lambagraon, were part of a series of portraits of neighbouring rulers produced at the Kangra studio towards the end of the eighteenth century. Sirmur was a large state to the east of Garhwal and close to the Punjab plains. Jagat Prakash was known as an able and valiant ruler and Sirmur was on good terms with Kangra until the end of his reign. Very few portraits of Sirmur rulers remain as the Gurkha occupation of the state in 1803-14 is thought to have destroyed any earlier paintings.
This portrait of Raja Jagat Prakash finds comparison with two other known portraits of the ruler painted in Kangra around 1770-1780 (Archer, 1973, Vol. I, 8 (vi), (vii); illus. in Vol. II, pp.196-197). The portraits published in Archer, formerly in the collection of Raja Dhrub Dev Chand of Lambagraon, were part of a series of portraits of neighbouring rulers produced at the Kangra studio towards the end of the eighteenth century. Sirmur was a large state to the east of Garhwal and close to the Punjab plains. Jagat Prakash was known as an able and valiant ruler and Sirmur was on good terms with Kangra until the end of his reign. Very few portraits of Sirmur rulers remain as the Gurkha occupation of the state in 1803-14 is thought to have destroyed any earlier paintings.