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Lot Essay
This remarkable painting, dated to the third day of the Savan month (July-August), Vikram Samvat 1936 (equivalent to 1880 CE), was painted by the accomplished artist Ram Narayan from Gudha Kansu. The work is a visual and historical tour de force, offering an extraordinary glimpse into the grandeur and ceremonial pageantry of Thakur Bhag Singh’s darbar in late July of 1880. Rich with detail, the composition is densely inscribed, with nearly every figure, down to the fan bearers, carefully identified. Far more than a courtly portrait, this painting stands as an invaluable historical document and testament to Ram Narayan’s exceptional skill as both an artist and chronicler.
As noted by Welch (1985, p.444) ‘By 1880, painters were losing out to photographers at courts in India-if they had not already taken to the new art themselves in a scramble for patronage. To compete, painters had explored all avenues, from making painted copies of photographs, to painting over them, to, as here, adding portraits in photographic style to traditional compositions’
At the center of the composition, Bhag Singh is depicted in a strikingly natural pose, leaning casually against a bolster, his face calm and contemplative as he takes in the proceedings. The courtly assembly is arranged in strict descending order of rank and importance, with each dignitary rendered in remarkable detail. His son, Kunwar Gopal Singhji, is seated on his right and his secretary, Khiali Ahmedji, on his left. Though each is identified through inscriptions, Ram Narayan’s commitment to likenesses is clear: many faces appear true to life, complete with subtle expressions that suggest personality and presence.
Among the notable attendants who are seated in front of Bhag Singh, and identified by inscription are Kisan Lal, Harnarayan Daroga, Kaluram, Nathu Daroga, Manalal, Devi Ram Pujari, Bakhtavar Singh Tuvar, Qaji Ali Ahmed Ji, Phul Ji Rasaladar, Dol Ji, Bal Ji Nirpan, Daryava Singh, Hanoto Nathuram Ko, and Arjan.
One of the most visually arresting elements of the painting is the large flat-woven cotton dhurrie that spans the entire floor of the composition. Its elaborate patterning threatens to upstage the gathering itself. Framed neatly by the pink sandstone palace walls and dense foliage in the background, the dhurrie features striking royal blue and pale bands at the sides, accented with chevron motifs. A bold orange central runner cuts across the floor like a ceremonial runway, leading the viewer’s eye directly to the seated ruler.
The use of flat perspective in the composition enhances the visual drama, pressing figures toward the top and bottom edges and emphasising the expansive surface beneath them. In Rajasthan’s palatial interiors, cotton dhurries were often layered over heavier carpets with deep pile, creating a cooler and softer surface underfoot, particularly essential in the searing heat of July, when this event took place.
At the base of the composition, musicians and dancers have begun their performance, slowly making their way upward toward the ruler, suggesting that the festivities are just beginning. The only other figures in motion are the fan bearers, who attempt to keep the attendees cool as they observe the event.
The setting bursts with detail and spectacle. A merry-go-round is tucked in the top left corner, while a Ferris wheel, dancers, and a menagerie of birds occupy the bottom left. Along the sides, acrobats perform feats of strength and endurance, while military personnel dressed in European uniforms hint at the hybridisation of Indian tradition with colonial modernity. Even English-style lamps make an appearance, subtly signalling the ruler’s openness to modernisation and technological progress.
At the center front, prized stallions are prominently displayed, a traditional point of pride for a Rajput ruler. Beneath them, an inscription reads:
“In honour of Thakur Sahib Sri Bhag Singh Ji and Kunwar Sahib Sri Gopal Singh Ji of the Thikana (estate) of Jaul: [depiction] of the Darbar.”
Finally, the chocolate-brown carpet field beneath the dhurrie is decorated with delicate scrolling arabesques, echoing European decorative tastes that had found their way into the palaces of North India. This fusion of styles, Rajput ceremonial tradition with Victorian aesthetics, makes the painting not only a document of court life but also a visual record of a cultural moment in transition.
This large scale composition matches a similar work of Maharaja Jawan Singh receiving Governor General of India, Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, Mewar, 1832, formally in the Ehrenfeld collection (see Bautze, Interaction of cultures : Indian and western painting, 1780-1910 : the Ehrenfeld collection, 1998, p. 158, no. 40).
This dazzling and large scale record of the opulence enjoyed at small courts (thikana) outside of the major centres of Mewar and Mawar. Most importantly it is a reflection of the last gasp of court painting at the end of the 19th century before the photography usurped the tradition that had endured for 400 years.
As noted by Welch (1985, p.444) ‘By 1880, painters were losing out to photographers at courts in India-if they had not already taken to the new art themselves in a scramble for patronage. To compete, painters had explored all avenues, from making painted copies of photographs, to painting over them, to, as here, adding portraits in photographic style to traditional compositions’
At the center of the composition, Bhag Singh is depicted in a strikingly natural pose, leaning casually against a bolster, his face calm and contemplative as he takes in the proceedings. The courtly assembly is arranged in strict descending order of rank and importance, with each dignitary rendered in remarkable detail. His son, Kunwar Gopal Singhji, is seated on his right and his secretary, Khiali Ahmedji, on his left. Though each is identified through inscriptions, Ram Narayan’s commitment to likenesses is clear: many faces appear true to life, complete with subtle expressions that suggest personality and presence.
Among the notable attendants who are seated in front of Bhag Singh, and identified by inscription are Kisan Lal, Harnarayan Daroga, Kaluram, Nathu Daroga, Manalal, Devi Ram Pujari, Bakhtavar Singh Tuvar, Qaji Ali Ahmed Ji, Phul Ji Rasaladar, Dol Ji, Bal Ji Nirpan, Daryava Singh, Hanoto Nathuram Ko, and Arjan.
One of the most visually arresting elements of the painting is the large flat-woven cotton dhurrie that spans the entire floor of the composition. Its elaborate patterning threatens to upstage the gathering itself. Framed neatly by the pink sandstone palace walls and dense foliage in the background, the dhurrie features striking royal blue and pale bands at the sides, accented with chevron motifs. A bold orange central runner cuts across the floor like a ceremonial runway, leading the viewer’s eye directly to the seated ruler.
The use of flat perspective in the composition enhances the visual drama, pressing figures toward the top and bottom edges and emphasising the expansive surface beneath them. In Rajasthan’s palatial interiors, cotton dhurries were often layered over heavier carpets with deep pile, creating a cooler and softer surface underfoot, particularly essential in the searing heat of July, when this event took place.
At the base of the composition, musicians and dancers have begun their performance, slowly making their way upward toward the ruler, suggesting that the festivities are just beginning. The only other figures in motion are the fan bearers, who attempt to keep the attendees cool as they observe the event.
The setting bursts with detail and spectacle. A merry-go-round is tucked in the top left corner, while a Ferris wheel, dancers, and a menagerie of birds occupy the bottom left. Along the sides, acrobats perform feats of strength and endurance, while military personnel dressed in European uniforms hint at the hybridisation of Indian tradition with colonial modernity. Even English-style lamps make an appearance, subtly signalling the ruler’s openness to modernisation and technological progress.
At the center front, prized stallions are prominently displayed, a traditional point of pride for a Rajput ruler. Beneath them, an inscription reads:
“In honour of Thakur Sahib Sri Bhag Singh Ji and Kunwar Sahib Sri Gopal Singh Ji of the Thikana (estate) of Jaul: [depiction] of the Darbar.”
Finally, the chocolate-brown carpet field beneath the dhurrie is decorated with delicate scrolling arabesques, echoing European decorative tastes that had found their way into the palaces of North India. This fusion of styles, Rajput ceremonial tradition with Victorian aesthetics, makes the painting not only a document of court life but also a visual record of a cultural moment in transition.
This large scale composition matches a similar work of Maharaja Jawan Singh receiving Governor General of India, Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, Mewar, 1832, formally in the Ehrenfeld collection (see Bautze, Interaction of cultures : Indian and western painting, 1780-1910 : the Ehrenfeld collection, 1998, p. 158, no. 40).
This dazzling and large scale record of the opulence enjoyed at small courts (thikana) outside of the major centres of Mewar and Mawar. Most importantly it is a reflection of the last gasp of court painting at the end of the 19th century before the photography usurped the tradition that had endured for 400 years.