Maharao Chattar Sal (reigned 1758–64) of Kota in a Palanquin (c. 1760): Art, History and Details

Maharao Chattar Sal (reigned 1758–64) of Kota in a Palanquin (c. 1760) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

The king sits in his litter with a sun and moon disk behind his head, emphasizing the light of divine sanction for his rule. His power and grandeur seem to inspire his attendants to stride with effortless enthusiasm. Symbols of royalty abound in his retinue: cavaliers on horseback, spear bearers, soldiers with swords and daggers, attendants with peacock-feather fans, and archers carrying bows draped in red and quivers full of arrows. The small kingdom of Kota achieved independence in 1624, and its rulers, called rao (king) or maharao (great king) in the local dialect of Rajasthani, supported an atelier of artists at their court. Kota artists were known for dynamic and idealized portrayals of their rulers engaged in activities that emphasized the king’s supreme status.

Object facts

• Title: Maharao Chattar Sal (reigned 1758–64) of Kota in a Palanquin
• Date: c. 1760
• Culture: Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Kota
• Type: Painting
• Technique: Gum tempera and gold on paper
• Dimensions: Overall: 28.3 x 39.2 cm (11 1/8 x 15 7/16 in.); with borders: 31.6 x 42.7 cm (12 7/16 x 16 13/16 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 1989.344

A detail from the museum

Quivers of arrows are tied to the front corners of the palanquin.

Collection credit

Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.