Lot 269 MAHARAJA GULAB SINGH OF JAMMU HUNTING, PUNJAB HILLS, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 19TH CENTURY
Reference: ART3007972
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.