Indian Sculpture and Painting, Illustrated by Typical Masterpieces, with an Explanation of their Motives and Ideals c12.23

c12.23

Another masterly drawing, finished with great minuteness and heightened with gold, is a group of elephants, Plate LVII., which bears this inscription in Persian: "Prince Muhammad Murad, son of Shah Jahan, on the elephant Iqbal, drawn by Gholam in 1030 A.H. (A.D. 1621)." The interest is concentrated on the great elephant, which has apparently become unruly, as he is flourishing the mahout's goad in his trunk and trumpeting loudly. The Prince has climbed on to his back to take the mahout's place, while the latter, or one of the attendants, is chaining the elephant's legs. The excited movement of the great beast is splendidly given and the vigour of the composition is not less striking than the finish of the technique, both in the drawing of the three elephants and in the careful study of the banyan-tree behind.