Maharani Mahinder Kaur of Patiala
Place of Origin
- India
Date1940 - 1950
CultureSikh
MaterialsOil on canvas
DimensionsH. 26 in x W. 19 1/2 in, H. 66 cm x W. 49.5 cm (image); H. 32 in x W. 25 1/2 in x D. 1 3/4 in, H. 81.3 cm x W. 64.8 cm x D. 4.4 cm (framed)
Credit LineGift of the Kapany Collection
Object number1998.107
DepartmentSouth Asian Art
ClassificationsPainting
On View
Not on viewSubject
- portrait
Portraits of specific historical women, though not unknown in Indian art, appear more often after the late 1800s when the status of some royal women changed with their increased presence in the political and social arenas. Maharani Mahinder Kaur (b. 1922) was the wife of Yadavindra Singh, Patiala state’s last ruler before its integration into the Republic of India in 1947. From 1967 through 1984, Mahinder Kaur had an active political career and served as a member of Parliament. This portrait shares the scale, pose, and setting conventions typical for images of male rulers. She gazes confidently at the viewer, and with the combination of traditional attire and European-style furnishings, she appears as an authoritative, modern, and cosmopolitan Indian woman.
