Shamsher Sen of Mandi with a youth

1760–70

Northern India, Pahari Kingdom of Mandi

Medium

Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper

Measurements

Image: 16.5 x 13.9 cm (6 1/2 x 5 1/2 in.); Border: 20.3 x 17.6 cm (8 x 6 15/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Dr. Norman Zaworski 2012.302

You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Location

242B Indian Painting

Did You Know?

Shamsher Sen wears a small silver whistle in his turban.

Description

In 1727, Shamsher Sen inherited the Pahari kingdom of Mandi. The artist has rendered him with an intense gaze directed at a man, possibly his lover, who greets him with respect.

The ashes on his forehead and neck mark Shamsher Sen as a follower of the Hindu god Shiva. In his turban, alongside an array of flowers, he wears a whistle, announcing his participation in a religious order devoted to Shiva. The inscription in the lower border reads shri damyan, meaning “Honorable Minister,” since he ruled as a minister of the Hindu god Krishna. Pahari rulers often pledged loyalty to multiple divinities.