Caryatid Amber fort

Seen from a low, dramatic angle, a woman in an orange sari and striped blouse steadies a large woven basket on her head with both arms raised. Behind her rises the pale sandstone facade and arched gate of Amber Fort, while below, a mahout rides a painted elephant and another woman in red looks on from the edge of the frame.

The palette contrasts the honeyed stone architecture with the saturated orange, turquoise and pink of the woman's clothing, lit by strong overhead sun that models her raised arms and face. Brushwork is broad and confident in the drapery, tightening around the features, and the steep upward viewpoint gives the figure a monumental, almost sculptural presence against the fort.