Important Notice

Mid 19th Century

Jaipur School

Size: 10.5 x 8 in (26.7 x 20.3 cm)


This is a delicately executed portrait of a young Maharaja - Kunwar Sardarsinghji.

The superbly finished miniature painting shows the young Maharaja, immaculately dressed in a long red and gold full-sleeved jama, standing on a low terrace balcony of his palace, holding a rose in his right hand. A nimbus behind his head signifies his royal status. Kunwar Sardar Singhji Bahadur is shown with a tender and expressive face. He is quite obviously very young. He has a lovely complexion and wears a spectacular and fashionable headgear. It is red in colour with gold braiding and precious stones. The artist has actually used a drop of paint so well that it looks as though the precious stone is set on the painting itself. The facial modeling is superb and a tuft of fine hair creeps in from behind his ear. A fine long vermillion mark adorns his forehead. Although young, his expression is firm. He also wears pearl necklaces and gold bracelets. His footwear is an embroidered 'mojri'. The flower in his hand is very delicately painted with each of the petals visible.

The terrace has a low balustrade with fine foliated work on it, in gold. Behind this, one can see a lush flower bed with various flowers in bloom. The background is a pale jade colour and the deep blue sky shows thick rolling clouds. The detailing in this painting is magnificent with perfect use of colours and copious use of gold. The inscription says that the painting was done in Jaipur. Going by the name and the period it should be the portrait of Maharaja Sardar Singh of Bikaner who was born in 1818 and died in 1872 A.D.

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