Seated Prince and Lady
late 18th-19th century
Description
On the left is a prince seated cross-legged on a mat and against a large cushion. He wears a turban, an earring, and a long robe (jama). He bears a mustache and prominent sideburns. His left arm is bent in conversation towards a kneeling woman on the right. She wears a long shawl that is draped on the back of her head, a long skirt with a scalloped edge, a necklace, earrings, and nose ring. At the top, in red, are two squares containing small vignettes, perhaps paintings on the wall. The one on the left features the Hindu elephant god Ganesh with another figure. The one on the right shows Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, kneeling before Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, and his wife, Sita. This most likely represents a scene from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Rajput Style.
Dimensions
19 x 14.7 cm (7 1/2 x 5 13/16 in.)
Provenance
Stuart Cary Welch (by 1973 - 2008,) by descent; to his estate (2008-2009,) gift; to Harvard Art Museum. Notes: Object was part of temporary loan to Museum in 1973.
Related Artworks
View MoreWatercolor on paper
18th centuryBritishColored chalks on tan antique laid paper
16th centuryFrench
Charcoal and white chalk on brown laid paper
20th centuryAmericanCrayon on paper
20th centuryAmericanGraphite on paper
20th centuryGermanGraphite, with opaque white heightening, on cream paper
19th centuryFrenchGraphite on paper
20th centuryGermanGraphite on gray wove paper
19th-20th centuryAmericanGraphite and gesso on paper
20th centuryAmericanColored marker on paper
Red chalk on off-white antique laid paper; verso: brown ink
18th centuryFrenchColored marker on paper
20th centuryGerman