Two Elephants in Combat
Unknown Artist
1700–1730
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
35.6 × 53.4 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Accession Number
2018.178
About this artwork
Elephants were prized possessions for the Rajput Maharajas of Rajasthan. Not only were elephants a decisive factor in the battlefield, but also represented the owner’s material wealth. Elephant fights were a favorite amusement of the Maharaja, and certain elephants were trained specially for this purpose. The drawing depicts two elephants in combat with each other with their trunks intertwined.