The pictures made by Indian artists for the British in India are called Company paintings. This one shows a military officer of the East India Company. The Indian artist has used the native technique and the style of the late Mughal Murshidabad school of painting. However, the style is moving in the direction of Company painting. The tree in particular shows the influence of European watercolours. The river is probably the Bhagirathi in West Bengal.
Physical description
A military officer of the East India Company is standing with his dog and a boy attendant under a tree on the bank of a river. The attendant holds a sword across his arm.
Place of Origin
Murshidabad, India (made)
Date
ca. 1765 - ca. 1770 (painted)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Opaque watercolour on paper
Dimensions
Height: 27.7 cm, Width: 21.5 cm
Descriptive line
Painting; gouache, A military officer of the East India Company, Murshidabad, ca. 1765 - ca. 1770
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Skelton, Robert and Mark Francis eds., Arts of Bengal, text by Robert Skelton, John Lowry, Andrew Topsfield, Veronica Murphy and Susan Stronge, London: Whitechapel Art Gallery 1979, no.91, p.48 ISBN 0 85488 047 X Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992, 77 p. ISBN 0944142303
A Company officer surveying the river
Murshidabad/ c.1775
A stout Company official, out for a constitutional with his boy-servant and dog, gazes pensively over the Bhagirathi river. The rendering of the tree shows the growing assimilation of European techniques by Murshidabad artists.
Published: Welch [1978] no.2
Exhibition History
Arts of Bengal (Whitechapel Art Gallery 30/12/1979-30/09/2011)
Production Note
The painting is in the style of Murshidabad school. The composition shows the growing assimilation of European techniques by Murshidabad artists, particularly depiction of the tree.
Materials
Paper; Opaque watercolour
Techniques
Painted
Subjects depicted
Occupations, Military officers; East India Company
Categories
Paintings; Indian Company Paintings
Collection code
SSEA
