Maharana Ari Singh II of Mewar on Horseback

ca. 1775-1780

In India maharajas were often represented in miniatures on horseback, hunting or in intimate scenes set in the gardens of their palaces. The official portraits combine the classic codes of the Arab-Muslim world with Western perspective. The landscape is barely outlined. Originally based on engravings of European paintings known at the court since the 16th century, these works soon departed from the models to define their own codes. The warlike clothing and lance thus include numerous details that accentuate the great sophistication of the finery after the fashion of Islamic miniatures. These images were intended to assert the legitimacy of the recently established Muslim dynasties with respect to the Hindu elite.