Artwork
Maharana Sangram Singh II (r. 1710–34) Worshipping a Linga Under a Banyan Tree
Maharana Sangram Singh II (r. 1710–34) Worshipping a Linga Under a Banyan Tree is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1713 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts two figures dressed in vivid garments positioned beneath a sprawling banyan tree.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Maharana Sangram Singh II, sovereign of Mewar from 1710 to 1734, engaged in personal devotion to a Shiva linga beneath a banyan tree.
The painting depicts Maharana Sangram Singh II, sovereign of Mewar from 1710 to 1734, engaged in personal devotion to a Shiva linga beneath a banyan tree. This iconography combines royal piety with sacred authority, linking the monarch’s role as both political head and chief worshipper in the Hindu tradition of the period. The banyan tree, a symbol of immortality and shelter, frames the ritual act, emphasizing continuity and divine protection.
The scene thus conveys the intertwining of temporal power and spiritual duty, reflecting the ruler’s responsibility to uphold religious practice within his realm.
History & Provenance
The painting is dated to 1713, early in the reign of Maharana Sangram Singh II, who ruled Mewar from 1710 to 1734. It was created in Mewar, a Rajput kingdom in present-day Rajasthan, India. The work is attributed to an unknown artist. The painting is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The painting Maharana Sangram Singh II (r. 1710–34) Worshipping a Linga Under a Banyan Tree is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio. The work, created in 1713 in Mewar by an unknown artist, bears the accession number 2018.144. No specific exhibition history is documented in the available records for this piece.
Overview
The work depicts two figures dressed in vivid garments positioned beneath a sprawling banyan tree. One individual is seated on the ground, clutching a small golden object, while the other stands nearby, gesturing as though in conversation. The scene is framed by a red border and set against a distant horizon of rolling hills, with assorted items such as bowls and a drum scattered at their feet.
Technique & Style
Rendered with bold, saturated pigments and decisive outlines, the painting emphasizes clarity of form and decorative richness. The foliage is portrayed with dense green leaves and pink blossoms, while the composition employs a flattened perspective typical of courtly Indian painting, allowing decorative detail to dominate over realistic spatial depth.
Artist & collection
