The elephant Khanderao Bahadur killing Sham Mahavat

Object Details

School/Tradition: Mewar school
Description: Numerous attendants using firecrackers attempt to control a chained elephant. His mahout grips the elephant with his feet and hands as his hair sticks out in fright.
Inscriptions: Recto: in devanagari script on top red border: Maharana Amar Singhji ri divar ke Khanderao Bahadur marti Sham Mahavati; Verso: n. 9; 243 jo (album 243); Kimat val. -Rs. 12; Mewar inventory no: 13/243; 240/32?; Verso: n. 9; 243 jo (album 243); Kimat val. -Rs. 12; Mewar inventory no: 13/243; 240/32?
Provenance: From 1700?; Royal Udaipur Collection; To 1967; Sri Moti Chand Khajanchi, Bikaner [1]; From 1967 to 2001; Ralph Benkaim (1914-2001), Beverly Hills, California, purchased from Sri Moti Chand Khajanchi, Bikaner in December 1967 [2]; From 2001 to 2018; Catherine Glynn Benkaim, Beverly Hills, California, by inheritance from Ralph Benkaim in 2001 [3]; From 2018; Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, partial gift and purchase from Catherine Glynn Benkaim; [1] Ralph Benkaim purchased the painting from Mr. Khajanchi of Bikaner in December 1967, several years before Indian paintings were classified as antiquities by the Indian government, according to Ralph Benkaim’s personal records, as relayed by Catherine Glynn Benkaim.; [2] See note 1.; [3] See note 1.
Collection: National Museum of Asian Art Collection
Previous custodian or owner: Sri Moti Chand Khajanchi; Ralph and Catherine Benkaim; Catherine Glynn Benkaim

Credit Line: Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection — funds provided by the Friends of the National Museum of Asian Art

ca. 1700

Medium: Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions: H x W (painting): 21.3 × 34.2 cm (8 3/8 × 13 7/16 in); H x W (overall): 25.4 × 38.1 cm (10 × 15 in)

See more items in: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Topic: elephant; fireworks; India; South Asian and Himalayan Art; mahout; Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye3f1aed02d-5f67-412b-a00c-97cd3ae4d08d