MEWAR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA, FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Despite his long rule Maharana Bhim Singh of Mewar (r. 1778-1828) was remembered as a weak leader, signing a protection treaty with the British East India Company in 1818. Nonetheless he was an active patron of the arts. The important artists Bagta (active circa 1761-1814), Chokha (active 1799-circa 1826) and Ghasi (fl. circa 1820-1830) all worked for the Maharana. The present composition of the Maharana on horseback surrounded by retainers appears to have been a popular one. There is version signed by Chokha in the San Diego Museum of Art (Edwin Binney 3rd Collection, 1990.640) and two further versions attributed to him in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Acc. no. 1996.100.5) and Harvard Art Museum (Obj. no. 1995.89). Two versions attributed to Ghasi are in the Art Institute of Chicago (Ref. no. 1975.507) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Acc. no. 2006.475). Another was sold at Sotheby's, London, 23 October 2019, lot 196.