Kunvar Ragho Das of Devgarh and his five sons worshipping Sri Girdhariji
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Natural Dye |
| Current Location: | British Museum Collection |
| Location History: | Devgarh, Rajasthan, India |
So, I've researched a little around this, and as it's already mentioned that this is from the Rajasthan school of painting, following a Devgarh style of painting which reflects a strong Mewar influence, and Bagta, the painter of this painting was one of the most influential artists of that time. The production date for the same, as mentioned by the British Museum is 1770 (circa). If we were to go a little deeper into the history of the style of the painting overall, then it is important to know that this particular style of paining very uniquely assimilates the traits of Mewar, Marwar and Jaipur art together. Of course, in this painting the influences are so clearly visible: Use of primary colors, depiction of a spiritual connection, and even the human figures (men), muscular men with short necks, and their fish-shaped eyes, is like a direct influence of the Mewar style of paintings. The the curled mustaches, though only one figure seemed to have "thick" mustache, and the turbans are an influence of the Marwar School, and of course the intricate detailing also reflect the Jaipur school's influence; though it is usually placed under the Mewar substyle of paintings. Further, the heavy use of "yellow", "red" and "green" display how it becomes an excellent piece belonging to this category, where these colours maintain their own simplicity. As for the content of the painting itself, this is one of the earliest portraits of the Devgarh Princes, making them one of the most important members of the Devgarh Court circle. In that sense, I think this painting can be considered a perfect assimilation of two of the most popular tropes of painting during those times, like hunting scenes, court scenes, etc. In this painitng we find both a court symbolism (through the human figures) and also a connection to the spiritual as they engage in prayer, which makes it all the more interesting.
