Illustration from a poetic album, possibly the 'Sarangdharapaddhati'
Mewar, Circa 1700
Opaque watercolour heightened with gold on paper
Image 25 x 21cms
Folio 28 x 25 cms
The Sarangadharapaddhati is one of the Subhasitas, loose collections of poems
in epigrammatic verse, dwelling upon themes related to love, worldly wisdom
& detachment.
The inscription on the folio border reads as follows, "I think this animal
[horse] to be illusory. Do not bring it here, though it seems to stand there
sent by our own people. Indeed, one's own shadow is not of any use when shelter
is needed from the scorching sun."
For another closely related illustration, see A. Topsfield, "Court Painters
at Udaipur, Artibus Asiae, 2001, Fig.67, p. 98
