Maharana Jagat Singh II Hunting1747 · Study 1998.102

Context from the museum

One of the favorite pastimes of the Rajput nobility was hunting, a subject frequently depicted in secular painting in Rajasthan. Often much larger than other Indian paintings, hunting scenes glorified the pleasures and splendors of these stately affairs. This colorful painting depicts a royal hunt conducted by the Maharana Jagat Singh II of Udaipur. An inscription on the reverse side of the painting mentions the Maharana's name along with the hunting party's other participants, including the Maharana's brother. The hunt takes place in a detailed landscape of hills and varied vegetation. The animals (tiger, bear, wild boar, deer, stag, and antelope) are rounded up and diverted by servants (who shoot firecrackers) toward the shooting box at the center of the composition, where the royal members of the hunting party await their prey. Another group of servants with dogs approaches from the opposite direction to cut off the animals' route of escape. Some beasts are already killed or wounded, while others are trying desperately to run for their lives.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

The painting is signed on the reverse by the artist—a rare occurrence in Indian painting. The name reads "Jugarsi, son of Jiva."

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected sheet measurement for Maharana Jagat Singh II Hunting is 47 cm wide and 42.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 18.5 × 16.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.11:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.20 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 15.7% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 126.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Maharana Jagat Singh II Hunting in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 47 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?