Sub School: Jodhpur Painter: Dana Medium: Tempera Time: 18th cen
● It is a horizontal image. ● Royal family members / two princes are playing polo with their 4 maids. ● Symmetry can be seen in the composition with 3 players on each side. ● Figures are prominent against the flat background. ● Mughal influence can be seen in the ornamentation & dresses in the artwork. ● Inscription can be seen on the upper portion of the painting. ● All the faces are profile with elongated eyes, sharp features with rounded foreheads. ● Horses are done in different colour tone, making the contrast with each other. ● Red and dark colour tone have been used in a balanced way to make it more attractive. ● Action can be identified in the entire painting with the movement of the horses and the human figures. ● All the six players have been shown riding on their well equipped horses of white, blue and deep gray coloured with royal apparels of different colours. They have been adorned with jewels , covering the heads with excellent adornments in different countanaces. ● In front part of their background, grass has been shown in peculiar shape with mixture of green
Summery: The painting titled ‘CHAUGAN PLAYERS’ was painted by Dana in the 18th century. The painting done in Water colour on paper using the Tempara Technique has been attributed to the Jodhpur-Sub School of the Rajasthani Miniature painting. This painting is a pride possession of the National Museum, New Delhi. The artist depicts six princess playing Chaugan or Polo, seated on well-equipped and beautifully decorated horses. The horses of different colours white, blue, black and deep grey and are nicely decorated. The horses dominated the entire space in the painting. The princess also adorn royal apparels of various colours, as they are very much involved in the Royal game of Chaugan or Polo. As the Princess are seated on their well-built horses ready for the game, it can be observed that two horses in the background of the painting is slightly larger than the four horses in the middle and front of the painting. The horses in the background are seen facing one another while the other four horses are in the opposite directions, and in a ready to run position. What is more significant is, that the painter has placed the figures of the princess turning in an opposite direction as to their horses for the first four players. This was perhaps depicted to show the motion of the fastness of the game of Chaugan and an animated effect to show twist and turns while galloping on the horse. To suggest that the game was played in a grass turf, grass and flowers in shades of blue, yellow and green has been shown in the foreground of the painting in details and faded all across the painting. A calligraphy on the top suggests the event and details of the painting in the Devanagari script. The essence of the painting is a testimony of the importance of woman, who also share a space in the miniature paintings of Rajasthan in the 18th Century.
*********************************************************************************** Probable Questions 1. Give a brief details on the famous painting of Jodhpur school, made by famous painter Dana. 2. Two princess are playing royal sports along with their 4 maids. A beautiful symmetrical composition. a. Mention the name and creator of the painting. b. Evaluate the compositional arrangement. c. Write the aesthetic features.
3. Evaluate the compositional arrangement of the painting from Jodhpur school of art.
