An enamel portrait of Maharaja Pratap Singh, signed by Raoul Hideux, Paris, early 20th century

Raoul Hideux was the son of Charles Hideux the famous Parisian photographer. In 1898 he founded a new studio on rue Meyerbeer, close to the Paris Opera that was met with high praise. Le Figaro wrote on the 30 November 1898 "the most beautiful enamels of the Narbonne Museum, even those of the famous Limousin painter Pierre Raymond, are not superior to the new enamel-miniatures on copper by Raoul Hideux of which everyone in the artistic world is talking about at the moment. It is a marvelous discovery, the models of which can be seen at Raoul Hideux, rue Meyerbeer. It is to be recommended to artists and to all people of taste." They later relocated to rue de la Paix and in 1910, the famous Swiss enamel painter Gabriel Dufaux joined the studio. 

This enamel portrait is probably copied from a photograph taken of Sir Pratap Singh by Vernon & Co. of Bombay in 1914 on the occasion of the Viceroy's visit to Jodhpur (see Elgood 2017, p.81, pl.1.14). Sir Pratap Singh was the third son of Sir Takhat Singh, Maharaja of Jodhpur. He was a brave solider, a fine administrator and a brilliant polo player. He served as Prime Minster after his brother became Maharaja in 1878 and was Regent of the Marwar state three times. He was received by Queen Victoria in 1887 and 1897 on the occasion of her Golden and Diamond Jubilee and was aide-de-camp to Edward VII, Prince of Wales. At the end of 1914 he offered his services and that of his state to the King and arrived in France with his Jodhpur Lancers to serve in the Great War. Sir Pratap and his Lancers spent most of the war in France where they earned the nickname 'Jo Hukum' or 'Will do', a reflection of their Marwari response to an order (ibid, p.80).