The elephant Khanderao Bahadur killing Sham Mahavat

Numerous attendants using firecrackers attempt to control a chained elephant. His mahout grips the elephant with his feet and hands as his hair sticks out in fright.

Historical period(s)
ca. 1700
School
Mewar school
Medium
Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
H x W (painting): 21.3 × 34.2 cm (8 3/8 × 13 7/16 in) H x W (overall): 25.4 × 38.1 cm (10 × 15 in)
Geography
India, Rajasthan state, Mewar
Credit Line
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection — funds provided by the Friends of the Freer and Sackler Galleries
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S2018.1.23
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Painting
Type

Painting

Keywords
elephant, fireworks, India, mahout, Ralph and Catherine Benkaim collection
Provenance

From 1700?
Royal Udaipur Collection

To 1967
Sri Moti Chand Khajanchi, Bikaner [1]

From 1967 to 2001
Ralph Benkaim (1914-2001), Beverly Hills, California, purchased from Sri Moti Chand Khajanchi, Bikaner in December 1967 [2]

From 2001 to 2018
Catherine Glynn Benkaim, Beverly Hills, California, by inheritance from Ralph Benkaim in 2001 [3]

From 2018
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, partial gift and purchase from Catherine Glynn Benkaim

[1] Ralph Benkaim purchased the painting from Mr. Khajanchi of Bikaner in December 1967, several years before Indian paintings were classified as antiquities by the Indian government, according to Ralph Benkaim’s personal records, as relayed by Catherine Glynn Benkaim.

[2] See note 1.

[3] See note 1.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Sri Moti Chand Khajanchi India, Bikaner
Ralph (1914-2001) and Catherine Benkaim
Catherine Glynn Benkaim

Description

Numerous attendants using firecrackers attempt to control a chained elephant. His mahout grips the elephant with his feet and hands as his hair sticks out in fright.

Inscription(s)

Recto: in devanagari script on top red border: Maharana Amar Singhji ri divar ke Khanderao Bahadur marti Sham Mahavati
Verso: n. 9; 243 jo (album 243); Kimat val. -Rs. 12; Mewar inventory no: 13/243; 240/32?

Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Terms of Use