Maharao Chattar Sal (reigned 1758–64) of Kota in a Palanquin
1760
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1760
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Maharao Chattar Sal (reigned 1758–64) of Kota in a Palanquin is a 1760 unspecified by Unknown, a Patna School of Painting work, depicting Kota, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a king riding in a covered litter, carried by servants while soldiers and attendants march alongside. A golden sun and moon float behind his head like a halo. This painting comes from Kota, a small kingdom in Rajasthan. The bright colors and busy scene show how rulers displayed their power—every detail, from the peacock fans to the armed guards, was meant to impress. If you like this, look up more paintings of northwestern india, rajasthan, kota.
The king sits in his litter with a sun and moon disk behind his head, emphasizing the light of divine sanction for his rule. His power and grandeur seem to inspire his attendants to stride with effortless enthusiasm. Symbols of royalty abound in his retinue: cavaliers on horseback, spear bearers, soldiers with swords and daggers, attendants with peacock-feather fans, and archers carrying bows draped in red and quivers full of arrows. The small kingdom of Kota achieved independence in 1624, and its rulers, called rao (king) or maharao (great king) in the local dialect of Rajasthani, supported…
Quivers of arrows are tied to the front corners of the palanquin.
Read the full account in the museum source.
