Rare Paintings
 4 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Rissaldar Mohubut Khan, bahadur, 2nd Scinde Irregular Horse, 1852.

Oil on canvas by Sandor Alexander Svoboda (1826-1896), 1852.

Mohubut (sometimes Mohbut) Khan was promoted to rissaldar of the 1st Regiment Sind Irregular Horse on 17 January 1846 and later awarded the Order of British India ... Read More
 4 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
IRREGULAR CAVALRY
Bengal Irregular Cavalry

At first these units were called Local Horse and were raised by Europeans from volunteers who owned their own horse and equipment and were prepared to provide for themselves in the field. This was called the sillidar system. Sometimes a local leader ... Read More
 4 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Lord Moira's European servants seated on an elephant - 1814

Watercolour of European servants on an elephant from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Mohumdy to Gheen Vol. V' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-Gener... Read More
 4 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings

Through the influence of the Prince-Regent, Moira was appointed Governor-General of India in 11 November 1812.[29] His tenure as Governor-General was a memorable one, overseeing the victory in the Gurkha War (1814–1816); the final conquest of t... Read More
 4 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
The Hastings' party's encampment outside Hansi - 1815

Watercolour of Lord Moira's encampment near Hansi from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Gheen to Delhi Vol. VI' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-General of... Read More
 4 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
'On the Hansi Road - near Delhi'. Worked up from an earlier sketch by R. Maclagan - 1843

Pen and ink drawing by Frederic Peter Layard (1818-1891) after an earlier sketch by R. Maclagan of the Engineers, of the Hansi Road near Delhi in Haryana, dated October 1843. The image is inscribed 'On the... Read More
 4 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
The Fort at Hansi, the Union flag flying from the top - 1815

Watercolour of fort at Hansi from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Gheen to Delhi Vol. VI' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-General of Bengal and th... Read More
 3 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
'Method of attack with the musket when meeting the enemy head on', 1824 (c).

Rules for the Manoeuvres of the Hindustani Musket Cavalry. Watercolour on Oriental paper, by a Company artist, Delhi, 1824 (c).

Lieutenant-Colonel James Skinner's personal manual of cavalry manoeuvres was produced ... Read More
 3 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Skinner's Horse at Exercise, 1840 (c).

Oil on canvas by John Reynolds Gwatkin (1807-1877), 1840 (c).

Men of the 1st Bengal Irregular Cavalry (Skinner's Horse) or 4th Bengal Irregular Cavalry (Baddley's Horse) display mounted combat skills, including tent-pegging.

Skinner's Horse was the ... Read More
 3 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
The regiment formed in line, 1824 (c).

Gouache watercolour, provisionally attributed to the Company artist Naziradeem, inscribed in Persian 'nastaliq' script, 1824 (c).

One of three illustrations taken from 'The Book of rules for the Manoeuvres of the Hindustani Musket Cavalry formed by Col... Read More
 2 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
An ear cleaner at work; by an unnamed Dehli painter, commissioned by Colonel James Skinner
Published: [Delhi], [ca. 1825]

Watercolour

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 2 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Colonel James Skinner CB, 1st Regiment of Local Horse, 1836 (c).

Oil on canvas by an unknown artist, a copy of the portrait by William Melville, 1836 (c) (in the vestry of St James's Church, Delhi).

The Anglo-Indian soldier James Skinner (1778-1841) was the son of a Scottish officer in the ... Read More
 2 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Skinner's Tomb, St. Jame's Church, Delhi (left) Styles and titles in Persian of Metcalfe as Agent of the G.G. (right) - 1843

[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi... Read More
 28 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
Elephant head with stylized wide spread ears. Traces of red and white paint bands are visible on the face. Painting of elephants for ritual processions is a common practice in traditional India and the main colors are red and white.

This figurine may represent a tame elephant or an elephant th... Read More
 27 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
The Royal procession to the ploughing ceremony. King Suddhodana walks under a white parasol with courtiers behind him and followed by the oxen for ploughing. Queen Maha-Maya and Prince Siddhattha ride behing upon an elephant
Painting 1853 - 1885
From: Life of the Buddha
Volume 2 From the me... Read More
 27 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
Major William Palmer with His Second Wife, the Mughal Princess Bibi Faiz Bakhsh
By Johann Zoffany

Date painted: 1785
Oil on canvas, 101.5 x 127 cm

Her sister on his left. Three of his children and three women attendants complete the group.

The painting has also been attributed to Francesco Ren... Read More
 26 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
Watercolour of a house (hut) on the island of Carnicobar, Indian Ocean, titled "maison de Carnicobar".
1808 - 1816
From: French naval surgeon, early 19th century. Voyage sur la corvette l'Oreste' au nord de l'Espagne.

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 26 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
Entrance to the crater of the island of Amsterdam, Indian Ocean. Watercolour by E.H. Locker, 1804.

1804 By: Edward Hawke Locker
Published: [Amsterdam Island, Indian Ocean] - 11 October 1804

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 20 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
A Muharram figure: A Muslim worshipper with chauri and sword standing in front of a tazia.

Varanasi, India

Date: ca.1830

Painting on mica

Copyright: © V&A Images Read More
 20 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
A head with a background of mountains and palm trees.

Varanasi, India

Date: ca.1830

Watercolour on card, for use with mica

Copyright: © V&A Images Read More
 20 Feb 2013 Rare Paintings
'Lion and Elephant'

Murshidabad, India

Date: ca.1835

Gouache and line drawings on mica (Painting on mica in white paint)

Copyright: © V&A Images. Read More