INDIA, RAJASTHAN, MEWAR OR KOTAH, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Enclosed in a bright red frame with a verdant border, the portrait of the raja smoking hookah on his balcony exudes a contemporary touch. The raja, dressed in a white jama and a white turban with blue dotted prints, is lavishly adorned. His jewellery includes a pair of emerald and diamond earrings set in gold, a double pearl necklace, an emerald necklace separated by gold beads, an emerald ring set in yellow gold and another gemmed ring. The fabrics on the balcony mirror the vibrant red and green of the frame, with the rolled-up curtain composed of red and blue striped fabrics, starkly contrasting with the raja’s off-white attire. This vivid and bold use of colour is characteristic of the painting style in Rajasthan during this period, where many portraits exhibit a highly saturated palette. The background, in the meantime, is often muted or in monochromic patches, and the perspective appears quite elementary. (Brijbhushan, Jamila. The World of Indian Miniatures. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., 1979, pp. 156-57, 164-65.)