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拍品专文
Maharana Ari Singh (1761-1773), was responsible for an explosion of painting activity in the early years of his reign. He commissioned many portraits of himself, often on horseback and engaged in royal bear hunts. In fact, Ari Singh commissioned a vast number of portraits to a point where he could no longer afford to pay the artists who ‘finally deserted the court or sought other livelihoods’ (Topsfield, Court Painting at Udaipur, Zurich, 2001, p.194 and notes 129, 130, 131 p. 211). Many of such portraits are signed and dated by the artists, in this case the mouth of Pausa of V.S. 1820/1763 A.D. and by the artist Jiva. Other artist with works ascribed to their name include Naga, Raghunath, Kesu Ram, and Jiva's son Jugarsi.
In the present painting, dynamically composed, the Maharana and three noblemen converge upon a bear with their spears. Additional servants and dogs attack a second bear in the foreground. Jag Niwas, the Udaipur Lake Palace, is depicted in a distance. The hunt as a princely pursuit was a favorite of Maharana Ari Singh and many portraits depict him hunting, such as four paintings in the Ducrot Collection (Four Centuries of Rajput Painting, exhibition catalogue, Milan, 2009, ME.48-51, pp.66-69). The son of Jagat Singh II of Mewar, he was known for his arrogance and irascibility and, fatefully, died struck ‘by a treacherous lance-stroke delivered by Ajit Singh of Bundi while hunting’ (A. Topsfield, Court Painting at Udaipur, Art under the patronage of the Maharanas of Mewar, Zurich, 2001, p.193).
The present painting is referenced in A. Topsfield, Paintings from Rajasthan in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1980, p. 116, as it relates to a very similar painting in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (acc. no. AS181-1980). Another portrait of Maharana Ari Singh by the artist Jiva is in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (AS196-1980). A related painting by Jiva is illustrated by J.P. Losty in Indian Painting 1650-1900, London, 2010, no. 13. Another painting by Jiva, depicting Ari Singh's father, Maharana Jagat Singh II at the Lake Palace is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. no. 2022.227). Another painting of Maharana Jagat Singh II on a hunt by the artist is in the collection of the San Diego Museum of Art, Edwin Binney 3rd Collection (acc. no. 1990.626).
In the present painting, dynamically composed, the Maharana and three noblemen converge upon a bear with their spears. Additional servants and dogs attack a second bear in the foreground. Jag Niwas, the Udaipur Lake Palace, is depicted in a distance. The hunt as a princely pursuit was a favorite of Maharana Ari Singh and many portraits depict him hunting, such as four paintings in the Ducrot Collection (Four Centuries of Rajput Painting, exhibition catalogue, Milan, 2009, ME.48-51, pp.66-69). The son of Jagat Singh II of Mewar, he was known for his arrogance and irascibility and, fatefully, died struck ‘by a treacherous lance-stroke delivered by Ajit Singh of Bundi while hunting’ (A. Topsfield, Court Painting at Udaipur, Art under the patronage of the Maharanas of Mewar, Zurich, 2001, p.193).
The present painting is referenced in A. Topsfield, Paintings from Rajasthan in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1980, p. 116, as it relates to a very similar painting in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (acc. no. AS181-1980). Another portrait of Maharana Ari Singh by the artist Jiva is in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (AS196-1980). A related painting by Jiva is illustrated by J.P. Losty in Indian Painting 1650-1900, London, 2010, no. 13. Another painting by Jiva, depicting Ari Singh's father, Maharana Jagat Singh II at the Lake Palace is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. no. 2022.227). Another painting of Maharana Jagat Singh II on a hunt by the artist is in the collection of the San Diego Museum of Art, Edwin Binney 3rd Collection (acc. no. 1990.626).