Maharaja Man Singh Romancing with His Consort on a Galloping Horse

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This miniature, an outstanding work of art rendered using the Jodhpur idiom of Rajasthani art School of early nineteenth century when under its ruler Maharaja Man Singh it attained its most glorious heights, represents a royal couple engaged in love-making while riding a galloping horse. Though not a reproduction of any of the reported Jodhpur miniatures, the painting wondrously recreates in it not merely the background – tree-types, patch of green land strewn with flowering shrubs, floral patterns, monkeys, peacocks, and building-type, as it has been painted in many Jodhpur paintings of the period, but also the likeness of Maharaja Man Singh as it has been represented in his contemporary miniatures. Maharaja Man Singh’s all figures have around the face a green nimbus with golden ring binding it, the same as has this painting.

Besides the iconographic features, in this recent painting the horse-riding royal personage has the same style of moustaches, beard and hair and the type of turban, crown and ornaments, such as ear-rings designed with a pair of large size pearls, as has Maharaja Man Singh in his contemporary paintings rendered by his court painters and represent his true likeness. The royal lady, accompanying him with a gold goblet and wine-jar in her hands, is obviously one of his queens. The likenesses of the royal figures apart, the painting assimilates from a number of paintings contemporaneous to Maharaja Man Singh other features – the background and architecture, besides the theme of the painting : the sensuous diversions and public display of lustful pursuits replacing chivalry, kingly grace and ethics of public life, portraying thus a true picture of the life as it prevailed in an early nineteenth century Rajput court. The painting is unparalleled in capturing the spirit of medievalism and affords the viewing eye a journey back to those days.

The royal couple, in all likelihood Maharaja Man Singh of Jodhpur who ruled for long forty years from 1803 to 1843 AD, a glorious phase of the cultural and art history of Jodhpur, and his consort, has been portrayed as riding the royal horse, richly saddled and adorned with gems-studded gold ornaments and yak tail motifs having ivory-look. A rare breed, the horse has strange colour pattern, upper half, turquoise, lower half, brick-red, and tail as white and elegantly dressed as carved out of an ivory piece. With palace-pond on the left, and palace, on the right, it is obviously a pleasure-ride, perhaps along a racing track, provided inside the palace-premises for training the youngsters, something which his wine-jar carrying consort also attests. As suggests the colour of sky, it is an evening hour, and instead of enjoying wine on a terrace or in harem on a formally laid table, the Maharaja seems to have preferred the horse-back for a seat, his consort’s hands, for a table, and to serve, and the galloping horse, for thrill, and the company of his dearest, for exoticism and romantic delight.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.