Artwork Page for A prince riding a composite elephant

Details / Information for A prince riding a composite elephant

A prince riding a composite elephant

c. 1590
Measurements
Page: 28.8 x 18.6 cm (11 5/16 x 7 5/16 in.); Painting: 14.5 x 11 cm (5 11/16 x 4 5/16 in.)
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
?

Did You Know?

Two lions share one head at the top of the elephant’s head.

Description

A prince sits cross-legged in a covered howdah seat secured to the back of a royal elephant with golden rings on its tusks. The elephant is being driven by attendants, one of whom holds a goad. Artists in the southern Indian region known as the Deccan expanded upon Persian practices of embedding creatures in landscape scenes—like a visual double-entendre—and created inventive images of composite creatures made up of figures that invite extended close looking. This painting would have been mounted in an album that was brought out for entertainment in elite intimate gatherings.
A vertically oriented tempera painting depicts a prince seated in a decorated pavilion atop a composite elephant, floating against the cream-colored paper background. The creature's body consists of interlocking people and animals forming its massive shape. Two attendants flank the pavilion; one holds a hook. Ornate blue borders, embellished with gold floral patterns and Persian script, frame the scene. The figures' light skin tones contrast with the vibrant pavilion and borders.

A prince riding a composite elephant

c. 1590

India, Golconda, Deccan, 16th century

See Also

  • Department
    Indian and Southeast Asian Art
  • Medium
    Tempera
  • Credit line
    Gift In Honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by Exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork