Raja Sansar Chand attacking Kangra Fortafter 1782 · Study 2018.120

Context from the museum

In 1782, the 17-year-old king of Kangra fought to retake his ancestral kingdom from the Mughals, who had controlled the territory since 1620. He rides a dark brown horse in front of the camel at the far right, blending in among his army and allies. The leftmost panel shows the residents of Kangra fleeing the conflict with their belongings on their heads to the safety of the fortress at the far left, from the walls where cannons are being fired. The main temple, built of gray stone, is in the middle of the composition, marked by red flags.

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

A detail to notice

The king is 17 years old, beardless, riding a dark brown steed in front of the camel at the far right.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting only measurement for Raja Sansar Chand attacking Kangra Fort is 256.5 cm wide and 73 cm high, equivalent to approximately 101.0 × 28.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 3.51:1. The rectangular bounding area is 1.87 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 85.5% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 21.8 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 Sansar Chand attacking Kangra Fort in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on cotton cloth, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 256.5 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?