The Rampant Elephant

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This portrayal of a young elephant not yet fully trained and hence partially in chains reminds one of the dynamic and vigorous Mughal art of Akbar's era, and more so of the elephant portrayals of Akbar's well known court artist Khem Karan. Khem Karan's elephant portraits of 1590s, one of which is reported from the Prince of Wales Museum and the other from Roger's Fund, depict alike elephants, dynamic but not such rampant and unruly as this one here. The elephant in Roger's Fund painting is a grown up matured animal fully adorned and saddled for a prince and in the painting a prince is riding it. Its tusks are mounted with gold and the prince riding it is unassisted by a mahawata. Obviously, unlike the elephant here it is fully well trained. Further, it has suspending from its neck a yak-tail, the auspicious symbol of Mughals and another yak-tail is being carried ahead of him like a royal standard. The elephant in the painting here is in the process of training but, it seems, for a Rajput prince.

This elephant is in a rampant and defiant mood. Its raised tail, trunk waving in air and curling round one of its tusks in fury, legs defying the chains binding them, a demeanour of retaliation on its face and the tension on that of the mahawata powerfully define the elephant's furious mood. It has a characteristic physiognomy, a well composed and compact body illustrative of its young energetic youthful age and its semi-trained status. One of its hind legs and both of the back side are tied with chains seemingly made of gold. Obviously the elephant is being trained for a royal stable. It's defiance of the chains is well depicted. As compared to the flabby body of Khem Karan's the elephant in this painting has a well-built muscular figure with well mounted skin. The Mahawata's action and facial expressions depict the difficulty he is facing in controlling the animal.

The tree in the background waving in tune with elephant's forward thrust reflects its mood. Khem Karan's plain barren ground has been replaced here by a low hilly patch of land, with low notional shrubs scattered over for giving the figure better perspective and effect. A narrow Mughal style frame defines the elephant and its background. Between the elephant figure and the outer margins, this framing, cast in deeper tones of the elephant's body colour and laid with gold, greatly projects both the central space and the outer fringe. The outer margins in deep maroon and overwrought with gold foliage provide to the entire painting a gorgeous look and Mughalia elegance. This sort of double framing and equal emphasis on them is an attribute of Mughal art where sometimes the margin consumed more canvas space than the actual painting. .

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, Delhi.