This painting by Tara, the most important painter in the atelier of Maharana Sarup Singh, shows the ruler of Mewar viewing a prize stallion with a large entourage of courtiers. The richly decorated textile elements — such as the summer carpet and the canopy — transform this temporary outdoor installation into an almost palatial setting. Tara was an accomplished recorder of major events in the maharana’s life at Udaipur palace and in the countryside of his realm. An inscription on the reverse identifies the ruler, the horse, and principal courtiers, suggesting that this painting documents a specific event, perhaps the maharana’s birthday.
