Maharana Bhim Singh of Mewar at a palace window

Maker(s)
Artist: Workshop of Chokha (active 1779-ca. 1826)
Sitter: Maharana Bhim Singh (Indian (Mewar), reigned 1778-1828)
Historical period(s)
Sisodia dynasty, Reign of Bhim Singh, ca. 1810-20
Movement
Mewar Court
School
Rajput School
Medium
Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 147 × 110.8 cm (57 7/8 × 43 5/8 in) H x W (framed): 147 × 110.8 cm (57 7/8 × 43 5/8 in)
Geography
India, Mewar, Rajasthan state, Udaipur
Credit Line
Gift of Terence McInerney
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1996.33
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Painting
Type

Painting

Keywords
India, moon, portrait, Sisodia dynasty (861 - 1947)
Provenance

Ganeshi Lall & Son, Agra, India [1]

Private collection, New Orleans [2]

1990
Vishnu M. Lall, New York City, 1990 [3]

To 1996
Terence McInerney, New York to 1996

From 1996
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, given by Terence McInerney in 1996

Notes:

[1] According to Provenance Remark 1 in the object record, this object was in the possession of Ganeshi Lall & Son pre-1967.

[2] According to Provenance Remark 1 in the object record.

[3] See note 2.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Terence McInerney
Vishnu M. Lal
Ganeshi Lall & Son

Label

During the eighteenth century, court artists in Udaipur began to produce life-size portraits of the kingdom's rulers. This monumental painting depicts Maharana Bhim Singh (reigned 1628-52) sitting at a jharoka or ceremonial window with his arm resting on its carpet-covered ledge. His prominently wielded sword represents a king's traditional role as protector, while the crescent moon refers specifically to the Udaipur royal house. The artist evokes the grandeur of Indian kingship in a masterful composition that balances bold colors and forms with ornately patterned textiles and opulent jewels.

Published References
  • Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur. Exh. cat. Munich, 2022. cat. 21, pp. 135, 327.
  • Thomas Lawton, Thomas W. Lentz. Beyond the Legacy: Anniversary Acquisitions for the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. vol. 1 Washington, 1998. pp. 200-201.
Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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