Rawat Gokul Das at the Singh Sagar
Bakhta/ Bagta
This unique composition records a hunting excursion by Rawat Gokul Das (r. 1786–1821) and his court to Singh Sagar Lake Palace in July 1806. The palace, a private retreat, was secluded from the wider world and afforded rich hunting. The ruler is depicted four times, including firing his musket at waterfowl in flight. He is accompanied, according to the inscription, by his uncle Gyan Singh and the courtier Amarji. Although the silvered lake has tarnished to a dark gray, in its original condition the water must have shimmered with reflected light. Massive rock formations dominate the lower landscape, while the detailed woodlands are populated with birds, monkeys, crocodiles, and tortoise, all deftly rendered. The unusual aerial perspective was informed partly by European cartography and topographic depictions that had recently begun circulating in India
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