Maharana Pratap on Chetak

What it is

This is a court painting made in 1829 by the artist Ghasi, who worked for the Mewar court in Udaipur. It shows a man in an orange turban and grey armour riding a grey horse and carrying a spear, with attendants on foot carrying a shield and bow. Nagari script appears on the back of the painting.

Why it matters

Although painted more than two centuries after Pratap Singh's death, this work fixed the lasting image of him as a warrior king on his horse Chetak. It shows how the Mewar dynasty remembered and promoted their ancestor long after his reign, choosing to depict him as a mounted, armoured defender rather than in any other role.

Look closer

• What details in the armour, horse and attendants suggest this is a royal or heroic image rather than an ordinary scene?
• Why might the Mewar court, generations later, still want to commission paintings of Pratap Singh?
• What does the writing on the back of the painting suggest about how this image was meant to be used or understood?