Portraits Around the World

In India, portraiture has generally been associated with royalty and court figures. In the late sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, such portraits, like most paintings, were done on a small scale, in opaque watercolor on paper. Their appearance coincides with the coming of the Mughal rulers to India in the late sixteenth century. An emphasis on specific details of physiognomy and personality, previously uncommon in Indian art, may reflect both Western influence at the Mughal court and earlier traditions brought by the Mughals from Central Asia. The emperor Akbar commissioned portraits of himself and members of his court, so that “those who have passed away have received new life, and those who are still alive have immortality promised them.” Udai Singh, known affectionately to Akbar as “Mota Raja” or the “fat king,” is identifiable by his substantial size, plump face, small eyes, and large nose.

The portraits commissioned by the Hindu rulers at the neighboring Rajput courts may have been inspired by the Mughal example, but by the early eighteenth century, they had become quite different, harking back to older Indian traditions. Instead of small single images, they are most often large-scale representations showing rulers on a variety of celebratory occasions. In such portraits as Raja Arjun Singh Admiring a Horse, rulers are shown hunting, watching performances, sitting at a formal audience, or celebrating special festivals. Although an accompanying inscription may associate the image with a specific event, the effect is of a timeless testament to the raja’s power and wisdom. Royal emblems such as Arjun Singh’s halo and sword, and the flywhisk with which he is fanned, heighten the ceremonial quality, while individual personality is less apparent than in earlier Mughal images.

Describe some of the details of clothing and setting; how do they contribute to a sense of power and prestige?

Which type of portrait do you find more impressive?

Compare these paintings with the portrait of Augustus (or other portraits of leaders). What different personal qualities are emphasized in each?

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