According to the devanagari inscription on the reverse, this portrait of a spirited chestnut stallion was painted by Bagta (or Bakhta, active circa 1761-1814). He worked in the Mewar royal painting atelier in Udaipur in circa 1761-1768 and then became the court painter at the feudatory (thikana) of nearby Deogarh (or Devgarh) in 1769-1814. He was the father of Chokha (active circa 1799-1826). See AC1993.191.2.
Not only were innumerable equestrian portraits made of the rulers of Mewar and its feudatories (see M.80.223.3), but also in vogue were series of portraits of often named exemplary horses. See six horse portraits in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (AS201–AS206-1980) and seven horse portraits in the Isabella and Vicky Ducrot Collection (ME 52–58). Several of these horse portraits are dated by inscription between 1762-1765. Horse portraits were also painted by Bagta, as documented by their inscriptions. For example, see two Bagta horse portraits in the Fralin Museum of Art, University of Virginia, Charlottesville (83.17.1–.2).
In this portrait, a spirited chestnut stallion has a gold brocade saddle with a matching saddlecloth and large tassels. He has bejeweled gold headgear and crupper, and gold pleats with floral sprays hanging from his mane. Horse portraits normally include a syce or groom, but here the man’s Central Asian garments, particularly his conical cap with a fur collar, suggest he may be a foreign trader.
