Rao Raja Bhoj Singh of Bundi Batters a Leaping Tiger from a Tree

This painting depicts a popular mode of hunting in Rajasthan, one that conferred every advantage to the hunter. A calf, goat, or sheep is tied to the base of a tree as bait – its cries luring predatory game. The hunter, in this case Rao Raja Bhoj Singh of Bundi, positioned on a small platform in the tree, then waits for the opportune moment to use his matchlock. As seen here, however, the strategy still carried great risk. The large tiger has killed the small calf, has been shot in the haunch, and now is seeking revenge. It leaps into the tree as the Bhoj Singh batters it in the head with the butt of his matchlock. The hunter’s attendant embodies the panic and desperation of the situation, as he frantically scrambles up the tree, his turban unraveling in the process.