Wall Painting, Bundi, Rajasthan

An exhibition of Raghubir Singh photographs was organized by the Arthur Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C. in 2003(March 10 - August10) titled "Auto Focus" showcasing photographs of India that involved traveling at length in the Ambassador car, the first car manufactured in India. The photographer skillfully uses the car as a means to view the diversity of India. It was sadly his last project and he died in 1999. This photograph was taken in Bundi, Rajasthan. Through the window of the car we can see an advertisement on a wall for a local signage painter who skillfully uses miniature paintings as a tool to promote his talent at making signages. It is commendable that the painter chose an image of two warring elephants, a quintessential theme of Bundi-Kota miniature paintings, to depict his talent. Cleverly, Raghubir Singh has used the window of the car to get a reflection of the man standing behind- a technique that can be seen in many of his works. This photograph has been published in Raghubir Singh's book, A Way into India, 2002.