Chand Bibi Hawking with Attendants in a Landscape
Not on view
This painting is an accomplished example of a theme that attained popularity in Deccani painting. Chand Bibi was a legendary queen of Ahmadnagar in the Deccan, who valiantly defended her fortress against the Mughal army in the sixteenth century. Her image became a popular subject in Deccani painting, and she is frequently depicted hawking, as in this work. Here she rides a white horse, whose lower half has been colored red with henna to symbolize its wading through blood (or bravery in battle). Three female attendants accompany her on foot; one holds up a ceremonial sunshade behind the queen while another leads the way ahead of the horse. The figures are skillfully executed and the receding background is filled with charming details of animals, birds, hunters, and scenes of Indian village life.
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