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Prince Amar Singh (1672–1710) Drives His Own Elephant

Mewar Stipple Master

1695

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Mughal Painting Baroque Portrait Elephant

Dominant colour

Prince Amar Singh (1672–1710) Drives His Own Elephant is a 1695 unspecified by Mewar Stipple Master, a Baroque work, depicting Elephant, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Mewar Stipple Master
When & what style?: 1695 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A young prince in a bright yellow tunic steers a charging elephant. His servant rides behind, holding a whisk that flaps in the wind. The background is a flat, deep green. The green paint was made from copper, which eats into the paper over time. That’s why the color looks so uneven now—it’s literally corroding the artwork. The prince isn’t just posing; he’s racing, and the artist caught the speed in the flying whisk. To see more royal Rajput scenes like this, look up the Rajput kingdom of Mewar.

The story of this work

Overview

A youthful prince clad in yellow jama (belted tunic) holds a goad in his hand to control his elephant. His attendant sits in the back holding the royal insignia, a flying whisk, which billows in response to the velocity with which the elephant is running. The background of the painting is monochromatic green, a highly corrosive pigment.