Not on display

Prince Fakhr-ud Din Mirza

Painting
February 1856 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

William Carpenter was the eldest son of the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter and of William Hookham Carpenter, who became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 he set off in the footsteps of his younger brother Percy, also an artist, and landed in Bombay. He spent much of his time painting portraits of local rulers and the surrounding countryside, often wearing Indian dress himself. He travelled widely, from Sri Lanka in the south to Kashmir in the north, and he also spent some time in the Punjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856. Ten years later he was living in Boston, USA, but he moved back to London, where he died in 1899. Carpenter's Indian pictures display a particular interest in costume, agriculture, and the day-to-day lives of the local inhabitants. This is a portrait of Prince Fakhr-ud Din Mirza, eldest son of Bahadur Shah II, King of Delhi, seated with attendants holding peacock fans, painted in February 1856, probably in Delhi. The prince died five months later, on 10 July 1856.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePrince Fakhr-ud Din Mirza
Materials and techniques
Pencil and watercolour on paper
Brief description
Paintings, watercolour, W Carpenter
Physical description
Portrait of Prince Fakhr-ud Din Mirza, eldest son of Bahadur Shah II, King of Delhi, seated with attendants holding peacock fans
Dimensions
  • Height: 35cm
  • Width: 24.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
The Eldest Son of the King of Delhi.
Credit line
Purchased from William Carpenter
Object history
Carpenter's portrait of Prince Fakhr-ud Din Mirza was reproduced in "The Illustrated London News" 12 September 1857, pp. 265-6.

Nos. IS.54-1881 to IS.193-1881 purchased from William Carpenter for £500.

Purchased from William Carpenter. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.

Registered Paper 4429- 1881
Summary
William Carpenter was the eldest son of the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter and of William Hookham Carpenter, who became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 he set off in the footsteps of his younger brother Percy, also an artist, and landed in Bombay. He spent much of his time painting portraits of local rulers and the surrounding countryside, often wearing Indian dress himself. He travelled widely, from Sri Lanka in the south to Kashmir in the north, and he also spent some time in the Punjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856. Ten years later he was living in Boston, USA, but he moved back to London, where he died in 1899. Carpenter's Indian pictures display a particular interest in costume, agriculture, and the day-to-day lives of the local inhabitants. This is a portrait of Prince Fakhr-ud Din Mirza, eldest son of Bahadur Shah II, King of Delhi, seated with attendants holding peacock fans, painted in February 1856, probably in Delhi. The prince died five months later, on 10 July 1856.
Bibliographic references
  • Rohatgi P. and Parlett G., assisted by Imray S. and Godrej P. Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists: Paintings and Drawings from the Victoria and Albert Museum, 17th to the early 20th century. Published by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, in association with V&A, London, 2008. ISBN 81-901020-9-5. p. 278, pl. 35
  • Hats from India / Rosemary Crill. [London]: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985 Number: 0948107308 p. 17 detail
  • India observed : India as viewed by British artists 1760-1860 / by Mildred Archer and Ronald Lightbown. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982 Number: 0862940249 (pbk), 0905209184 (Victoria and Albert Museum) : p. 138, cat. no. 156.
Collection
Accession number
IS.193-1881

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Record createdDecember 24, 2004
Record URL
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