The indigenous Rajput culture produced exuberant, vibrantly colored and boldly patterned illustrations. The entirely different art of the Islamic Mughal invaders, subtle and naturalistic, presented elegant scenes of court life and history. The convergence of the two frequently resulted in masterpieces such as this.
In this portrait of a courtesan, the painter resolved to produce a vision of seductive perfection. The oval face has a soft and gentle expression. The almond shaped eyes are topped by arched eyebrows. The nose is straight and well defined, followed by bow shaped lips. The figure itself is tall, slender and graceful. Wearing a green ghagra with embroidered circles on the base and a border with variant patterns, she matches it with a beige long choli, having a border of similar geometric patterns. The odhini is pink, long and flowing which she holds with elan by the help of both the hands. It has large borders on both sides and a narrow one running the entire length of the odhini. She is wearing a head ornament and bell shaped earrings, traditionally called 'karnphul.' In the neck she wears gem studded necklaces and a long string of pearls. Her slender wrists bear the weight of heavy gold bangles. The feet, hardly visible form under the ghagra are also adorned with jewelry.
The sureness of line with which the painter has been able to distinguish the facial features, the pose and the gesture reflect his deep perception of different movement patterns and facial features. The graceful pose, pleasant color palette, pensive face present an overall mood of restrained dignity.
This description by Renu Rana.
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