Lot 1209: Property from the Paul F. Walter Collection

Attributed to Chokha, Devgarh, dated 1811
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper: clasping a sword with both hands in relax pose, the portly ruler is dressed in a plain green jama secured by a white sash that supports a jewel encrusted dagger. His face is a well-define portrait with a long rounded nose, neat slightly curled mustache and sleepy red-tinged eye. His adornment is limited to a double-pearl earring and pearl choker supporting a modest ruby pendant. Set slight to the left of center on the ruled margin against a foggy light gray background rising to a faint ridge line with gilt-lined pastel clouds above.
9 x 6 1/2 in. (22.8 x 16.5 cm.); 10 1/4 x 7 3/4 in. (26 x 19.7 cm.) )

The ruler is shown in a classic portrait pose of a solitary figure within a sparse or indistinguishable landscape. Here Chokha has set him right against the bottom edge and left of center. Compare with portraits of Bhim Singh and Amar Singh, also attributed to Chokha in Topsfield, Paintings From Rajasthan, 1980, nos. 211 and 213, pp. 142 and 143.

Kunvar Gyan Singh was the son of Kunvar Gopal Das of Kerera and brother of Rawat Ragho Das of Devgarh. He was granted the jagir of Gyangarh and succeeded there as Rawat Gyan Singh, 1st Rawat Sahib of Gyangarh in 1800. Another portrait of him in executed in the Jaipur style, where it is likely that most of his personal artist were trained, see Beach, Baghta and Chokha, 2005, no. 36, p. 35.

Provenance:
Acquired form a private collector, 1990s.