Royal Couple Being Entertained

Royal Couple Being Entertained (1739) by Chitarman II (Kalyan Das) is a highly skilled Mughal court painting from the 18 th century. The painting shows a prince and his ladies in waiting being entertained with a musical and dance display. The artist has focused on the royal entertainment and does not show the emperor or ruler carrying out his duties. The main focus of the painting is the royal couple sitting together with a highly detailed canopy made from red fabric. The royal couple are easy to identify as they are the only people in the front of the painting and have highly detailed clothing. They are also sitting within the pavilion. They are shown to be very relaxed and calm. The ladies in the left of the painting are providing the musical entertainment. The dancer is in the centre of the painting wearing a large orange-red dress. Her arm is stretched out and she has lots of movement in her body which creates movement within the painting. There are more ladies on the right of the painting. They have highly detailed features as they have different clothing, jewellery and gestures. The males are also in the front of the painting providing entertainment. They all have different kneeling and gesture positions. The artist has focused on the space within the painting. There is an open terrace with patterned flooring, decorative pillars and highly detailed canopy. This gives a feeling of space and an architectural feel. There is also a water reservoir with the terrace which creates a feeling of space. There are small boats, buildings, dome structures and landscaped areas. The painting creates a connection between the personal side of the court and the grand architecture. The figures are spread throughout the painting with some in the foreground, mid ground and high up in the pavilion. This creates a detailed feel of space but also has the typical tight perspective and decorative style of Indian miniatures. Chitarman has created detailed figures. Each figure has different facial features, detailed gestures, detailed hair and jewellery. The clothing also has detailed embroidery. The painting has been decorated using careful use of opaque watercolours and gold. There are patterns within the architectural features and the costumes have been very detailed to create a feeling of luxury. The painting has historical significance. During the reign of Emperor Muhammad Shah (1719-1748) court portraits, music, poetry and personal figures became popular. Chitarman is well known for being part of this court. He has created a clear composition to show how the social aspects of royal entertainment can be combined with artistic performances, ceremonial aspects and hierarchy. The painting is not just showing a musical event but shows how the Mughal aristocrats identified themselves. It shows how they would support culture, enjoy aesthetics and how they would organise their court.