
Mark Rasmussen
International Director
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US$10,000 - US$15,000
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International Director
In this amusing portrait, although still adorned with the trappings of his royal station and posing in the manner favored by the Mughal emperors of the 17th century, the portly ruler is only lightly clad in a tight-fitting shawl and short pants. In the absence of any ritual implements that would suggest him being stripped down for ablutions, one may suggest he is posing in his summer attire.
A similar portrait signed by Ramji Das, formerly in the Collection of Sangram Singh of Nawalgarh, is published in Beach & Nahar Singh, Bagta and Chokha, 2005, p.18, fig.14. Also see Sharma, Indian Miniature Painting, cat.56, pl.58. Another standing portrait showing the ruler in a full orange jama in the National Gallery of Victoria is suggested to be in the style of Bagta (see Topsfield, Paintings From Rajasthan, 1980, p.127, no.183). Two other closely related portraits are in the Fine Arts Museum, Boston (acc. nos. 15.84 and 17.2938). An equestrian portrait of the ruler with similar attendants in the Freer-Sackler Galleries (acc.no. F2001.5) is signed Sahiba Ram.
Provenance
Sotheby's, New York, 6 October 1990, lot 94