Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II (1835-1880)
of Jaipur hunting a tiger

by Jaipur court artist
circa 1880 CE

Gouache on paper
12.6 x 9.7 in. (32 x 24.6 cm.)

Maharaja Ram Singh II of Jaipur was a devout Shaivite and believed in reform and development.

Along with promotion of new technologies and a forward outlook, he promoted traditional practices and culture, and was a notable patron of paintings.

Artists freely experimented with techniques, materials and compositional settings. In this intriguing composition, artist appears to be struggling with photo-realism and traditional idealized depictions.