Early 19th century

Prince Gopinath and His Sons

According to the inscriptions at top, the large figure seated under the canopy is Prince Gopinath (born 1608) of Bundi, a princely state in Rajasthan. Although Gopinath died before he could succeed his father to the throne, he is depicted here with a nimbus around his head, an honor typically reserved for rulers. Seated before him are his many sons, each identified by name. The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries saw a rise in genealogical court portraits in Bundi, perhaps because the small kingdom was well into its decline. By celebrating its more illustrious forbears, the royal family might have hoped to secure its own place in history.