The legendary beauty of Bani Thani, a one-of-a-kind concubine of Raja Sawant Singh of Kishangarh (who reigned from 1748-1757), was most famously captured by Indian artist and poet Nihâl Chand in this iconic painting at the National Museum in New Delhi. Chand’s depiction combined the aesthetics of side-profile Mughal portraiture with the exaggerated features of Indian statuary. It is suggested that the enlarged eyes of his portrait may have taken inspiration from the symbolic importance of eyes in Indian poetry and ritual. The distinctive features of Chand’s rendering of Bani Thani can be seen on Kishangarh paintings throughout the remainder of the 18th century, often transfigured into the Hindu deity Radha. Bani Thani is depicted with a serene and elegant demeanor showcasing detailed ornamentation, including jewelry and clothing, reflecting the Rajput royal style. She has elegant and graceful features, rather stylized, including arched eyebrows, lotus-like elongated eyes and pointed chin. Born as Vishnupriya, she was a singer employed by the stepmother of Raja Sawant Singh in Kishangarh and he was drawn to Vishnupriya because of her beauty and singing. She came to be known as “Bani Thani” — which loosely means “the decked out lady” — because of the exquisite jewelry and makeup that she adorned herself with after becoming queen. Both lovers died in the 1760s. Today, they have twin chhatris (elevated, dome-shaped memorials) dedicated to them near the Nagari Kunj temple in Vrindavan. Due to its iconic status and captivating beauty, this painting has been hailed by some as the “Mona Lisa of India.” It was featured on an Indian postage stamp issued May 5, 1973.

“Bani Thani” attributed to Nihâl Chand (Indian) - Watercolor and tempera on paper (Kishangarh miniature) / c. 1750 - National Museum (New Delhi, India) #WomenInArt #art #artwork #ArtText #BaniThani #singer #poet #Krishna #Radha #NihâlChand #KishangarhMiniature #IndianArt #NationalMuseumofIndia