Indian Painting under the Mughals, A.D. 1550 to A.D. 1750 c19.32

c19.32

It is evident, however, that the artists not only made a study of the dead animal, but also a painting of the incident described above, just at the critical moment when the lion rolled over with the emperor's bullet in its brain. As will be seen from the illustration, it is an exceedingly graphic production, and the court painter responsible for it seems to have entered fully into the spirit of the scene. In the distance is the rocky ground overgrown with the close shrub which concealed the lion until it came out to its death. Standing near and evincing every sign of excitement and gratification at the result of the shot are the *shikāris*, Iradat and Firdai, engaged in explaining to their royal master how and where the fatal shot took effect. All the persons in this picture are clearly portraits, even to the beaters with their staves and sticks in the foreground, while the elephants are undoubtedly the actual animals from the royal stables who took part in the event. Jahangir, whose elation at his own skill is apparent, is seen turning towards his suite, who have followed him on horseback, and are voicing their congratulations with no little liveliness. At his side, on an elephant that is being goaded reluctantly to face the dying animal, is the head *shikāri*, who is complimenting his master in the usual fashion by means of an emphatic *salaam*. But one of the best drawn features of the picture is the lion, the death throes as the beast rolls over being very realistically rendered—it seems as if the artist had actually seen this taking place and put it down exactly as it appeared to him. The bullet has struck the animal in the head, as one of the *shikāris* on foot excitedly explains, and in its agony it claws the wound before it expires. In its general composition the picture is uncommon, as there is considerable extent of open space in the centre, but the grouping of the figures follows the general line of an oval, with the principal actors, the emperor and the lion, inclining towards the centre.