- Museum number
- 2007,3014.4
- Description
-
Story-telling painting, in gouache, of the 'Paithan' type, illustrating a narrative from the Mahabharata. King Harishchandra’s court.
Harishchandra, his son Rohidas, his wife Taramati and his minister enter the scene. With the background of a pillared hall, the king and his family are shown sitting on a long platform. At the back, between Harishchandra and Rohidas, stands the minister, recognisable by his Maratha-style turban. The four are conversing animatedly with the sage Narada, with a tall, tapering hairdo, and carrying the vina in his right hand. He is accompanied by the royal chaplain, the sage Vasishtha, bearded and with his hair gathered in an imposing jata makuta. The plant-like element, shown before Narada’s feet, may suggest that the two sages have not yet entered the hall. As in 2007,3014.3, the king wears the crown, brandishes a sword in his left hand, a quiver filled with arrows hangs from his shoulder and has a buckler at his side. Rohidas, too, wears a crown and carries a kattar in his left hand. A sword leans against the minister’s left shoulder. The sumptuously dressed and bejewelled queen listens attentively to the conversation.
- Production date
- 19thC(late)-20thC(early)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 28.60 centimetres
-
Length: 41 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- This is a complete storytellers’ set of sixty paintings (2007,3014.1 to 60). It depicts the story of king Harishchandra, one of the most popular stories throughout India and narrated in the Mahabharata, in the Markandeya Purana and in the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam. The source of the present narrative is uncertain as it is often retold with a number of variations and additions in numerous local languages. King Harischandra, the hero of this tale, exemplifies moral rectitude. In the usual Paithan manner, this once had another painting attached to the reverse (see 2007,3014. 3), which was removed and separately mounted. Paithan paintings were used as part of a story- telling performance, and while entertaining, were also considered to be a form of worship.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- The paintings are executed in opaque watercolour on foolscap size industrial paper. However, about 2.5 cm of the original format has been lost, as most of the leaves, probably badly frayed at the edges by their handling, have been cropped. Furthermore, some of the leaves have been repaired by the storytellers with newspaper bits, and with red masking tape. Fortunately almost nothing of the paintings, except the occasional top of a crown or decorative border, has been obliterated by these restorations.
- Associated titles
Associated Title: Mahabharata
- Acquisition date
- 2007
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 2007,3014.4