Maharaja Sardar Singh of Jodhpur, circa 1900

A rather unusual portrait of Maharaja Sardar Singh of Jodhpur, 10½ x 7 ins visible, in an old card mount with applied arms and typed label. The Maharaja, who was born in 1880 and died young in 1911, is shown here wearing simple dress with several of his dogs, together with an European seating on the ground and another Indian, identified on the label as Bhaji who wears similar clothes to the Maharaja. Most photographs of Sardar Singh show him wearing rich Indian court dress or dress uniforms. His life of extravangance lead to his being temporarily exiled from Jodhpur in 1902, with his ruling powers gradually reintroduced from 1905. This picture may date from that period of exile but further research is needed to establish that. He was a noted polo player. feb24/1