Mughal rulers had a predilection for the elephant, relegating other animals to a back seat, which explains their place of honor at the royal courts. They were impressed with its sharp intelligence, faithful nature and indispensability in the battlefield. The Mughals were fond of all kinds of outdoor sports, and one exclusively preserved for their pleasure was the elephant fight.
The whole stance of these elephants makes it obvious that they are well trained for such fights. This was the general practise at the Mughal courts where specially trained 'mahouts' prepared elephants for fights.
The elephants are painted in low-toned brown instead of typical grey. They are richly bedecked in gold anklets and other ornaments adorning their foreheads. The frontal image of the elephant on the right, with its raised back, helps in enhancing the fierce movement. The fury is brilliantly captured by the entangled trunks. The over-blankets covering their backs are in rich, yet subdued colors. The outline of the figures is slightly shaded in a warm color to enliven the already dazzling miniature. The background is treated plain except for a slight suggestion of an aerial perspective, with the help of a slight strip across the top, without defining the horizontal line. The figures are well-spaced and clear, so that the overall composition has a relaxed and a balanced feel.
Certain particulars, ranging from the elegance of form in the animals to the care attributed to textile, is confirmation that observations of the artist were so much closer to reality. Here, it is not the violent action but technical finesse and refined workmanship in a restrained manner that makes the picture valuable.
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