Harvard Art Museums > 2002.50.39: Equestrian Portrait of Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner Albums Collections Search Exit Deep Zoom Mode Zoom Out Zoom In Reset Zoom Full Screen Add to Collection Order Image Copy Link Copy Citation Citation"Equestrian Portrait of Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner , 2002.50.39,” Harvard Art Museums collections online, Dec 24, 2024, https://hvrd.art/o/165370. Reuse via IIIF Toggle Deep Zoom Mode Download This object does not yet have a description. Identification and Creation Object Number 2002.50.39 Title Equestrian Portrait of Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner Classification Albums Work Type album folio Date second half of the 17th century Places Creation Place: South Asia, India Culture Indian Persistent Link https://hvrd.art/o/165370 Physical Descriptions Medium Black ink on beige paper Dimensions 26 x 19 cm (10 1/4 x 7 1/2 in.) Provenance Recorded Ownership History Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood, Belmont, MA (by 1992-2002), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2002. Acquisition and Rights Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art Accession Year 2002 Object Number 2002.50.39 Division Asian and Mediterranean Art Contact am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu Permissions The Harvard Art Museums encourage the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. To request a higher resolution file of this image, please submit an online request. Descriptions Description This fragmentary drawing portrays Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner (r. 1631–69) on horseback. Shown in profile, the ruler wears an elaborate turban and gem-studded jewelry. Detailed brushwork and shading give a sense of volume to the bodies of horse and rider; the animal’s galloping stance and the flying bands of the raja’s clothing create the impression of lively motion. Because Raja Karan Singh was alternately an ally and a foe of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707), this portrait, like other art produced in Bikaner during his reign, merges local artistic traditions with Mughal idioms, reflecting both the self-identity of the house of Bikaner and its complex relations with the Mughals. Published Catalogue Text: In Harmony: The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art , written 2013129 Equestrian Portrait of Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner Folio from an album India, Rajasthan, Bikaner, second half 17th century Black ink on beige paper Folio: 26 × 19 cm (10 1/4 × 7 1/2 in.) 2002.50.39 This fragmentary drawing portrays Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner (r. 1631–69) on horseback.1 Shown in profile, the ruler wears an elaborate turban and gem-studded jewelry. Detailed brushwork and shading give a sense of volume to the bodies of horse and rider; the animal’s galloping stance and the flying bands of the raja’s clothing create the impression of lively motion. Because Raja Karan Singh was alternately an ally and a foe of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707), this portrait, like other art produced in Bikaner during his reign, merges local artistic traditions with Mughal idioms, reflecting both the self-identity of the house of Bikaner and its complex relations with the Mughals. Mika M. Natif [1] Compare, also from the Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum collection, A Portrait of Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner Holding a Sword (2011.95). Publication History Mary McWilliams, ed., In Harmony: The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art, exh. cat., Harvard Art Museums (Cambridge, MA, 2013), p. 261, cat. 129, ill. Exhibition History In Harmony: The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 01/31/2013 - 06/01/2013 Verification Level This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
