The Mad Elephant

This dramatic painting by A. H. Müller is evidently a scene from a medieval court, perhaps of the Mughals, but is not a depiction of any historically recorded event, as art historian Giles Tillotson discusses in his essay in the accompanying book. Nevertheless, historical events did inspire Müller to make this rich painting, where he accurately captures the architectural details of Diwan-i-Khas in Delhi. The artist, who was trained at the Madras School of Art, received early recognition for his works in the academic realist style, which won him patronage of the Rajasthan royals for a major part of his career, and made him a master of such opulent paintings.