Raja Ram Singh I On an Elephant c. 1720

Curator: Right now, we're looking at "Raja Ram Singh I On an Elephant," created around 1720. It’s ink and colored pencil on paper, and it resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It’s got this immediate sense of dynamism, almost like a snapshot. Editor: Yes, my first impression is one of quiet power. It's intriguing how minimal the color palette is – mostly a muted red and black – yet it feels so complete. It almost feels ghostly to me. Curator: Ghostly…I see that. Maybe because it's rendered in drawing. There’s something about the translucency of the paper that creates that ethereal quality. It feels like a memory or an unfinished story. But considering the socio-political context of Mughal painting and the power these images communicated, it's also important to recognize the very conscious ways in which representations of power were being disseminated through miniature paintings such as this one. It serves to promote an understanding of the sovereign and his command of his realm, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely, these images did function as assertions of authority. The elephant alone is laden with significance; here, the elephant not only acts as a symbol for royalty, but also represents control over the natural world – and by extension, one’s kingdom. But it seems less a celebration, more a thoughtful study of the man and animal. And it's that sense of restrained observation that lingers for me. It prompts one to reflect on not only power but its ephemeral nature too. Look closely! Even the drawing seems fragmented…almost disintegrating. Curator: I agree; it feels incomplete—vulnerable in its own way. And yet, that vulnerability makes the image all the more affecting. It's in that very contrast of power and vulnerability that it truly begins to resonate. I’m starting to think about all of this as a sort of meditation of rule and power, and less a display. Editor: Yes, a perfect encapsulation of the contradictions inherent in rulership, then and, well, now. It shows how art can transcend simple pronouncements of supremacy and become something far more evocative and…dare I say, human. I am certain this colored-pencil drawing could provoke fascinating discussions about current affairs.