Escapade at Night

This beautiful artwork is a characteristic example of a Rajput style painting made in the early nineteenth century by artist Chokha using watercolour, ink and gold. Chokha was the son of artist Bagta and worked at the courts of Udaipur and Devgarh in Rajasthan. He is associated with the Mewar school of painting. This painting shows a nobleman climbing up the palace walls to meet his lover. This theme of meeting of lovers late at night was a recurrent one in miniature paintings from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries and was inspired by the poetry traditions of the era where love and longing were the central themes. It is late in the night and dark clouds cover the sky as the nobleman attempts to climb up the palace on a rope to meet the lady as the guards with weapons in their hands are fast asleep. The rope is tied to his bedecked horse who is held in place by an attendant. The lady dressed in beautiful garments, adorned with jewellery lies on her bed accompanied by her attendants. Chokha’s artistry can also be seen in this depiction of a night scene in which he could explore the effects of light. In fact, many of his scenes are set at twilight. An important feature of this painting is the contrast of colours. In the background, the cows, deers and the palace-like building is shown in grey, dull hues, as are the guards near the front door. In contrast, the nobleman, the lady and the horse are show in bright, diverse colours. Chokha was known to depict the dynamics and brilliance of courtly life, as can be seen in this painting. His attention to details, the landscape is remarkable and characteristic of the Rajput syle. The use of gold highlights the artwork and also shows the patronage of the Rajput kings. Further, this painting also offers insight into the social and cultural life of the time.