MAHARAJA GULAB SINGH OF JAMMU HUNTING, PUNJAB HILLS, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 19TH CENTURY

Opaque water colour on paper.
39 by 29.5 cm.

Catalogue note
This dynamic portrait captures Maharaja Gulab Singh (r. 1846–1857), founder of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, in the vigor of a hunt—a symbol of royal prowess and dominion over the rugged Himalayan terrains. Rendered in the vibrant Sikh-Pahari style, the composition emphasizes the maharaja's commanding presence amid attendants, hounds, and fleeing game, with intricate details in his embroidered robes and jeweled turban highlighting Dogra opulence. Gulab Singh, a shrewd Dogra general under Ranjit Singh who allied with the British to forge his empire, embodies the era's martial ambition.