Raja Dilip Singh of Guler on a daisc. 1707 · Study 1960.49

Context from the museum

Dilip Singh (reigned 1695–1741) holds a manuscript page with alternating lines of red and black ink, which may be a sacred text that announces his devotion to the Hindu god Vishnu, whose mark appears on his forehead. He inaugurated the practice of commissioning paintings and manuscripts for the royal collection at Guler. Some members of a family of artists of Guler had worked in the Mughal imperial workshop in Lahore in present-day Pakistan. They brought a vision of naturalism and delicate refinement evident in the trees, his facial features, Mughal-style belted tunic, and carpet with floral patterns.

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

A detail to notice

He holds a manuscript, possibly referencing his court chronicle the Diliparanjani, completed in 1707.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for Raja Dilip Singh of Guler on a dais is 15.3 cm wide and 22.7 cm high, equivalent to approximately 6.0 × 8.9 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.67:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.03 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 5.1% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 142.3 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 Raja Dilip Singh of Guler on a dais 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 vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 15.3 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?