Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Kota / c. 1810
Royal women shooting from a pavilion
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Royal women shooting from a pavilion as painting (Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Kota · c. 1810).
On the distant horizon a European rides an elephant, while a dog runs alongside.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper.
The museum's collection notes: Two magnificent lions arrived at a pond, and the male turns back, sensing that something has alerted the deer. From a hunting lodge, a princess aims her musket in their direction. On the far banks of the pond is an abstract phallic sculpture (linga) on a spouted pedestal, indicating the sacred presence of the Hindu god Shiva. In front of the linga is an image of Shiva’s mount, the bull Nandi. The linga and bull bear traces of worship: horizontal marks in saffron, turmeric, and gold that communicate the worshiper’s religious affiliation and an inverted lotus flower. Devotion to Shiva is a prerequisite for the abundance of the land.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtRoyal women shooting from a pavilionOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.