Equestrian Portrait

The depiction of flora and fauna in art of the Mughal School has been appreciated by art historians and connoisseurs alike for it's accuracy and detail. While there are drawings filled with spirited movement and violent actions, the best studies are the portraits of single animals.

This equestrian portrait, an isolated study of the animal, is in rigid profile. The subject, one may say is common; uncommon are the details of physiognomy depicted in a subtle manner. The horse is harnessed but unsaddled and retains the usual stiffness associated with zoological portraits.

Its major expressive element is rhythm and color. Its natural color is maintained in the portrait with lower legs and middle of the forehead in white contributing to the charm. The lines are minute and painstakingly applied, as are the small brushstrokes defining texture as well as the fine hair on the mane and the tail. The horse that dominates the whole picture plane has its head gracefully turned towards the viewers, looking at them with gentle eyes. The linear movement, curves, and shades give the figure a somewhat three-dimensional effect and muscle articulation to capture its natural form.

Accuracy achieved by well-defined outlines and rendering of maximum detail sets this painting apart. One cannot fail to admire the minute observation of the artist; it is evident that he painted this horse after careful study, because it depicts not only the external appearance but is an objective illustration of its mood. The background is pale in order to create a serene harmony in the picture.

This description by Renu Rana.