Raja Sansar Chand Attacking Kangra Fort

1782

Maker Unknown

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Raja Sansar Chand Attacking Kangra Fort, 1782. Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Pahari Kingdom of Kangra. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on cotton cloth; painting: 81.3 x 264 cm (32 x 103 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2018.120 The king is 17 years old, beardless, riding a dark brown steed in front of the camel at the far right.

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Maker Unknown
Classification: Painting
Formatted Medium: Gum tempera, ink, and gold on cotton cloth
Medium: gum, tempera, ink, gold, cotton, cloth
Dimensions: Painting: 81.3 x 264 cm (32 x 103 15/16 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: Inscriptions in Takri and Persian. Persian reads: “On the 23rd of the month of Kartik, Samvat 1839 (1782 AD) Sri Maharaja Sansar Chand Bahadur attached Lakkarkot (Nagrakot ?) and the fortress of Kangra, attained victory and made siege intrenchments at the fortress of Kot Kangra.” Remark: At this time Sansar Chand was campaigning in the Kangra region with the support of the Sikh Jai Singh Kanheya who does not, however, appear in the present picture. But it was not until 1783 that Kangra Fort was surrendered to the Sikhs after the death of the Mughal Governor of Kangra, Saif Ali Khan. In 1786 Sansar Chand finallyy gained Kangra Fort by peaceful treaty from Jai Singh Kanheya in return for territorial concessions in the Punjab Plains (Archer, vol. 1, p. 249)
Departments: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Accession Number: 2018.120
Credit Line: Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Exhibitions: Martial Art of India (Indian Painting rotation)
Rights Statement: CC0