The Elephant of Maharana Jai Singh of Mewar (r. 1680–98) Catches a Horse by the Tail
1680
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1680
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a wild scene: a royal elephant grabs a galloping horse’s tail with its trunk while the rider whips back in shock. The elephant’s driver throws his hands up, helpless. Servants scramble to control the chaos. This painting comes from the Rajput kingdom of Mewar, where rulers kept trained war elephants. The artist shows the moment like a snapshot—no posed heroes, just panic and motion. The bright colors and flat shapes make it feel almost like a comic strip. Look up more paintings from the Rajput kingdom of Mewar to see how artists there told royal stories.
