Maharaja with a Bow and Arrow (Standing Portrait of Maharaja Kushal Singh)

Painting

-

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

Maharaja with a Bow and Arrow (Standing Portrait of Maharaja Kushal Singh)

Entry/Object ID

2017.05.08

Description

The painting depicts a Maharaja holding a bow and arrow, adorned in elaborate royal attire with detailed jewelry and traditional Mughal dress. The figure is shown in profile with a focused expression.

Type of Painting

Mughal Miniature

Artwork Details

Medium

Gouache, Paper

Subject Person or Organization

Maharaja Kushal Singh

Subject Place

Country

India

Acquisition

Accession

2017.05

Source or Donor

Derek Davenport

Made/Created

Place

Country

India

Ethnography

Cultural Region

* Untyped Cultural Region

Mughal Empire

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Attribution

Location

On the Reverse

Translation

Inscription in Devanagari script (derived from Hindi) on the reverse, identifying the subject by name and lineage

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Painting

Nomenclature Class

Art

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Height

15 in

Width

12 in

Provenance

Notes

Derek Davenport (1927-2017), West Lafayette, Indiana; by descent to Susan Davenport, Indianapolis, Indiana; donated to the Purdue University Galleries in 2017

Exhibitions

Paintings from India: Historical and Modern (2019)
Mughal Miniatures (2025)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Exhibition label

Label

(From Paintings from India: Historical and Modern Reuff West Feb 11-22, 2019): Kushal Singh ruled over a small state or principality in the Rajasthan region of norther India, probably in the Marwar district. This impressive portrait shows him standing in profile view (considered an individual's noblest view) facing right and holding a bow and arrow, besides having a quiver and a punch dagger tucked in at the waist. Over his portly figure, he wears a diaphanous white jama covering a blue robe that reaches to the ankles. The jama appears dark brown over the shoulders, perhaps alluding to the wearing of perfume. A red and gold sash (patka) hangs down in front. Slipper-like shoes cover the maharajah's feet. The figure is adorned with elaborate jewelry that includes a turban ornament (sarpech), earrings, and a multi-strand necklace made of pearls, emeralds, and pink rubies, in addition to gemmed armlets and bracelets. This individual stands on a dark green ground shading into a yellow-ish-green color above, and there appears a narrow strip of sky with clouds at the top. He is altogether a very engaging, picturesque person.