This is perhaps the most famous portrait by the Scottish artist, James Wales, made in 1792. The sitters are distinguished: Madhu Rao Narayan, the Maratha Peshwa, with Nana Fadnavis, and the two are waited upon by attendants. As one would expect in a royal portrait, the paraphernalia surrounds the ruler: an attendant with a flywhisk, a guard, a set of weapons (usually exquisite and deadly). The Peshwa sits on his plush gaddi and has a box (I suppose with paan in it) and a rosewater sprinkler in front of him, next to the dagger and Nana's sword. This indicates refinement along with acumen and strength to rule.

James Wales has created a dreamy scene with clever and dramatic use of light, textures, and a balance of colour and composition, giving the painting a sense of tactile luxury, like that of deep velvet. This sense of richness is best achieved with oils on canvas, a medium quite popular with portraiture, for obvious reasons.