Pleasures of the Hunt

1800-02-07T00:00:00Z

The series of scenes in this painting may relate to a yet unidentified story. In the background a princess on horseback aims her bow at two deer. Within the large cloth hunt enclosure (qamargah) are the members of a hunting party, composed of a prince and princess on horseback holding falcons with a bevy of attendants and dogs and the same princess (note the unusual crown) pursuing a gray deer. In the right foreground the princess is shown yet again, making love with a courtier, who is aiming his bow at a tiger about to pounce on them. In the foreground are the princess's and courtier's horses, with the latter's face covered to calm him.