Durbar at Pali (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Indian painters were frequently commissioned to record events, both extraordinary and mundane, in the lives of rulers and noblemen. This dynamic painting depicts the durbar, or court, of Nawal Singh, the ruler of Pali. One of the most important territories in Marwar, Pali was a crucial trade center on the caravan routes between the sea coast and northern India. Nawal Singh and his brother Bhim Singh sit at the top center left and smoke huqqas (water pipes). Their brother Giyan Singh sits across from them. Court officials and retainers appear in densely packed rows on either side of the noble family. The vitality of early 19th-century Marwar painting is witnessed in this picture’s intense linear rhythms, stylized surface patterns, and strong palette.
Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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