The Gilded Prison - stage 1

After the disaster of the previous painting I thought that I would get back to something that I would enjoy painting. This is a view of the Taj Mahal seen from Agra Fort, the title referring to the fact that this was the view that Shah Jahan had from the Fort after his son Aurangzeb imprisoned him there for the remainder of his life. It is based on reference I took on a recent visit to India. I have resisted the temptation (so far) to paint the Taj Mahal by moonlight and instead am going to paint it lit how I first saw it from a train as it approached Agra Fort Station.
This first stage was "drawn" up with a small bristle brush using my usual mix of Burnt Sienna and Winsor Violet thinned with Liquin and turpentine.