Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Painting
ca. 1835 - ca. 1840 (made)
ca. 1835 - ca. 1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Ranjit Singh (r.1801-1839), the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab, is depicted riding on a white stallion with an attendant following behind holding a parasol, the age-old emblem of royalty, over his head. He is dressed entirely in yellow, which may indicate that the portrait depicts him at the time of the Spring Festival when everyone wore this colour. The unknown artist has discreetly indicated the scars on his face caused by the childhood smallpox which left him blind in his left eye.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Maharaja Ranjit Singh (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Ranjit Singh on horseback, opaque watercolour on paper, Sikh, Punjab Plains, ca. 1835-1838 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Ranjit Singh, dressed entirely in yellow, sits on a white stallion with henna-dyed fetlocks. He has a black shield strapped to his back and faces right. An attendant in red turban and shawl, white vest and blue shorts, carries a golden parasol over his head. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Ranjit Singh, dressed entirely in yellow, sits on a white stallion with henna-dyed fetlocks. He has a black shield strapped to his back and faces right. An attendant in red turban and shawl, white vest and blue shorts, carries a golden parasol over his head. |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Runjeet Singh. The Lion of the Punjaub' (Written on the back of the painting in English.) |
| Gallery label | MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Punjab Plains
c. 1835-40
IS.480-1950
Ranjit Singh became the first Sikh maharaja of the Punjab in 1801. The region, whose name means ‘Five Rivers’ in Persian, is now divided between India and Pakistan. The unknown artist has discreetly indicated the scars on Ranjit Singh’s face caused by childhood smallpox which deprived him of sight in his left eye.(27/9/2013) |
| Object history | IS.477 to 489-1950 were purchased for £5 in 1950 from D. J. Elliott Esq . |
| Production | Sikh |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Ranjit Singh (r.1801-1839), the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab, is depicted riding on a white stallion with an attendant following behind holding a parasol, the age-old emblem of royalty, over his head. He is dressed entirely in yellow, which may indicate that the portrait depicts him at the time of the Spring Festival when everyone wore this colour. The unknown artist has discreetly indicated the scars on his face caused by the childhood smallpox which left him blind in his left eye. |
| Bibliographic reference | Paintings of the Sikhs / W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1966
cat. 4 pp. 126-7 and fig. 14.
W.G. Archer, The Paintings of the Sikhs, HMSO, London, 1966, cat. 4 pp. 126-7 and fig. 14. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.480-1950 |
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| Record created | July 19, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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