The lady is wearing a rich silk costume consisting of a lehenga, long blouse, oadhani and partially visible inners, the blue pajamas and an alike blue choli, all richly laid with gold and beautiful floral and other conventional designing patterns. The lehenga in deeper tones of magenta has an extra wide periphery and a rich gold border. Its plates and the way it has been held in one of the hands during her walk define its extra wide size. To carry thus the foremost portion of lehenga in case of ladies and dhoti in case of gents, when walking, was considered in nobility during medieval days as mark of great elegance and grace the traces of which might yet be seen in the life-style of a dhoti wearing rich Marwari trader. The crimson oadhani and yellow blouse too are of extra large sizes. Both have broad borders laid with gold and the floral and other decorative patterns.
This style of costumes was an amalgamation of Rajasthani and Mughal patterns, one showing a preference for bright contrasting colours and fabulously large sizes and the other for rich gold work and elegantly laid decorative patterns. Till the period of Shahjahan tight inner costumes and transparent white muslin jamas over them had been in greater prevalence. Being the trend setter this same Mughal costume pattern was followed by and large by almost all Rajasthani art schools. But, by the end of the 18th century things changed. The Mughal empire was fast disintegrating and alike its influence in art. Now instead in finesse the grace and elegance were sought in riches and the cost involved in anything was the most manifest form of riches. This gave birth to the concept of fabulously large costumes and to mannerism wherein reflected the riches of the person wearing them. The noble lady portrayed here exemplifies these 18th century art and costume trends.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.
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