Object Details
School/Tradition
Mewar school
Description
Within an arena, five vignettes convey the play-by-play action of an elephant contest. At the upper right, the elephants are introduced, then clash beneath the Rana's balcony on the upper left, until one falls and sheds its mahouts. It is pursued, but turns on its attacker, which also spills its riders.
The many active minor figures are freshly if naively drawn and the action unusually overlaps into the margins. Above and aloof from the melee, the Rana sits facing his younger brother Arsi and son Gaj Singh, while Garibas sits behind.
Inscriptions
Updated 2022
kī 115 18/40
[partially obscured]…. kālīkāṁṭī ro bhālerāv
Price 115 rupees [in red] 18/40
…black Bhalerav
śrī māhārājādhīrāj māhrāṇojī śrī rāj sīghjī baṭhā
bhatiyanī chovṭe hāthī ladavaya jaṭhe sāmā
māhārājā arsī beṭhā māhārājā gaj sīghjī
beṭhā hajur pāche prohat garībdāsjī beṭhā
hāṭhī sadāmaṁd bhurīkaṁṭī ro hāṭhī bhālerāv
kālīkāṁṭī ro
Shri Maharajadhiraj Maharanaji Shri Raj Singhji sat [at]
Bhatiyani Chohta; the elephants were made to fight
there; where, in front, Maharaja Arsi sat, Maharaja Gaj
Singhji sat, after the king, the priest Garibdas sat.
Elephant Sadamand has a brown luster; elephant
Bhalerav has a black luster.
2018
Verso in Rajasthani in devanagari script:
(on right, in a smaller hand) Hathi Jhalera Su Ladavya, Kali Kanti Ro Jhalerav
Elephant fight and the one with the black band is Jhalerav (meaning of Jhalerav unknown)
(in a larger hand) Shri Maharaja Dheraj Maharanoji Shri Raj Singhni Bada Bhatiyani Chovte Hathi Ladavaya Jate Sama Maharaja Arsiji Betha Maharaja GajSigh Ji Betha Husuriya Che. Prohit Garibdas Betha Hathi Sadasamand Bhuri Kanti Ro Hathi Bhalerav Kali Kanti Ro
During Shri Maharajadhiraj Maharana ji Shri Raj Singh’s [big/elder?] elephant fight in a field. Sitting in front is Maharaja Arsiji and Maharaja Shri Gaj Singh ji in service. The priest Garibdas ji is also sitting. As always the elephant has a brown [chain/throat/ neck band?] and [Bhalerav?] elephant has a black [chain/throat/ neck band]. 1.
Provenance
Royal Udaipur Collection [1]
To 2004
Vishnu Lal, New York, New York [2]
From 2004 to 2018
Catherine Glynn Benkaim, Beverly Hills, California, purchased from Vishnu Lal in New York, New York in 2004 [3]
From 2018
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, partial gift and purchase from Catherine Glynn Benkaim [4]
Notes:
[1] According to information from Andrew Topsfield, the painting was previously in the Royal Collection of Udaipur. He states, “I first saw this picture in 1976. It was then in Switzerland and belonged to a group of paintings formerly in the Mewar royal collection which I understood had come out of India a few years before, possibly 1969 but I am not sure.” See letter from Andrew Topsfield from Nov. 29, 2917, copy in object file, Collections Management Office.
[2] According to information from Catherine Glenn Benkaim, Vishnu Lal is the son of an Agra dealer, Ganeshi Lal. But he also had an office on 42nd street and 5th avenue right across the street from the Public Library. Ms. Benkaim does not know when the New York office opened because the Lal family had been in the business since the 19th century. The New York office is no longer open.
[3] See note 2.
[4] See Acquisition Justification Form, object file, Collections Management Office.
Collection
National Museum of Asian Art Collection
Exhibition History
A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur (November 19, 2022 to May 14, 2023)
Previous custodian or owner
Royal Udaipur Collection
Vishnu M. Lal
Catherine Glynn Benkaim (born 1946)
Credit Line
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection — funds provided by the Friends of the National Museum of Asian Art
Date
ca. 1670-1675
Accession Number
S2018.1.57
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
Painting
Medium
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 47 × 52.1 cm (18 1/2 × 20 1/2 in)
H x W x D (display mat): 62.2 × 67.3 × 0.5 cm (24 1/2 × 26 1/2 × 3/16 in)
Origin
Mewar, Rajasthan state, India
See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
elephant
India
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_S2018.1.57