Handpainted – “Chetak”: The Horse Who Saved His King

Provenance

'Chetak' is a handpainted work depicting perhaps India's most celebrated historical horse. Chetak is remembered for carrying Maharana Pratap during the Battle of Haldighati in 1576, and as the horse who saved his king. The painting shows the white stallion rearing with his rider against a vivid red ground, horse and king framed by a great black disc and a golden sun.

Chetak rears with one foreleg raised high, his neck arched and head bowed, dressed in a gold-studded bridle hung with red tassels, a collar of gold discs and leaf-shaped pendants, and a dark green saddle cloth worked in gold. Maharana Pratap sits upright in the saddle in a red turban with a feathered plume, a curled moustache, a dark tunic and a round shield on his back, holding the reins in one hand while a long spear rises behind him. Red sashes stream back from his shoulders, and the ground beneath the horse rolls away in stacked arcs of ivory, gold, black and red.

Vermilion, black, ivory and antique gold give the painting a strong, heraldic palette, and the fine crackle and mottling across its surface lend it an aged, weathered character. The tall format and the sweep of the horse's neck draw the eye from the raised hoof up to the rider. It suits a study, a hallway or a living room with deep, warm colours.

Disclaimer:

• The frames shown are for display purposes only and are not included with the artwork.
• As these are made-to-order designer pieces, expect minor colour variations from the displayed artwork.