Princely ascetic in the forest visited by ladies

Description

At first glance a group of court women has gathered to visit a prince who abandoned the palace to practice yoga, as indicated by the strap around the knees of the figure seated at the right. Upon close inspection, however, the prince is being “played” by a woman dressed for the part. All the components of a pleasurable courtly Mughal gathering are present. A sumptuous carpet, bottles of alcohol, fruit, a hookah, breath-freshening paan, and a woman playing a vina have been set up in the forest as if in the palace.

Provenance

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Princely ascetic in the forest visited by ladies

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c. 1760

Accession Number

1971.95

Medium

Gum tempera and gold on paper

Dimensions

Overall: 32.7 x 26.5 cm (12 7/8 x 10 7/16 in.)

Classification

Painting

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund