RAJASTHAN, CIRCA 1850Watercolor and ink on paper. 19 1/4 x 23 5/8 in. (49 x 60 cm),
This large study of a saluki, one of the fastest dog breeds, is remarkably rare. Despite the distaste for canines in Hindu and Muslim faiths, the saluki was highly revered in India as a skilled hunting hound. This painting would have likely been produced at a Rajasthani court, where rulers often commissioned portraits of royal hunting animals, including hounds and war elephants. In Hindu mythology, Brahma created the dog to serve the greatest creature on earth. After failed attempts to serve an elephant and a lion, the dog found the right master: a huntsman (Falk, Elephants of Fame, 1987). The hunting hound in this painting exudes confidence and strength, with an upright position and wide stance indicating that he is about to charge forward. The painter has laid more emphasis on the hound's male attributes, sharp nails, and fixed gaze rather than his coat or collar, suggesting an appreciation of the saluki's power and stamina. Compare to a Mewar painting of a saluki with its keeper in Ehnbom, Indian Miniatures, 1985, pp.122-3. Published:Toby Falk, Elephants of Fame: and other animals in Indian Painting, Indar Pasricha Fine Arts, London, 1987. Provenance:Indar Pasricha Fine Arts, London, by 1987Sotheby's, New York, 19 March 2008, lot 237