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.
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