South Asia, India, Rajasthan (Kota) - "Maharao Ajit Singh of Bundi" gouache and gold on stiff paper, ca. 1770. A rare 18th century Kota (also spelled Kotah) painting depicting Maharao Ajit Singh of Bundi riding a dappled horse with attendants on foot and borders of yellow, black, and red. The painting presents with rich colors and refined drawing of the figures' visages. A text label on the verso provides the following description, "This exceptional contemporary depiction of Maharao Ajit Singh is unusual in several respects. The Maharao, with green halo surrounded by a gilt starburst, shows him against the sand-colored Thar desert of Rajasthan, riding a striking, rearing dappled grey horse, with green hillocks across the top, trees and sky above, and riding on a ground cover of grassy knolls with a stream at bottom containing flowers and water plants with water fowl at the edge." A beautiful Kota painting mounted under glass in an attractive custom frame. Size (painting): 12.375" L x 9.875" W (31.4 cm x 25.1 cm) Size (frame): 22.25" L x 19.125" W (56.5 cm x 48.6 cm)

According to the British Museum, Kota (also spelled Kotah) style "refers to painting from the small court of Kota from the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century. The Mughals established Kota as an independent state from Bundi to be ruled by a branch of the family in 1631 and stylistically, the early art of Kota followed the Bundi model and concentrated on Ragamala and Baramasa painting. As it flourished in the eighteenth century there was a marked increase in the production of hunting scenes – tigers prowling dense jungles of tightly composed foliage, with hunters interspersed between the trees. The figures have a ruddier complexion in comparison to Bundi painting, with sculpturally modelled features." (British Museum website)

Please note: The original Waddington brochure of "Indian Paintings" with an illustration of this painting (figure 35) is attached to the verso as are labels from Waddington Galleries and Denenberg Fine Arts.

Provenance: Ex-Denenberg Fine Arts, Los Angeles, California USA; ex-Waddington Galleries Ltd., London, 1978 to Mr. and Mrs. Leo Brook; ex- Dr. Ellen K. Morris

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#178963

Painting is mounted under glass in an attractive custom frame. It has not been examined outside the frame. Only minor paint losses and crease marks. Otherwise in overall very good condition with vivid hues and strong imagery.