Hookah Maker
Painting
ca. 1826 (made)
ca. 1826 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is an example of a ‘Company painting’ – a picture made by an Indian artist for the British in India, particularly employees of the East India Company, the trading firm that by the 18th century had acquired a territorial empire in India. The painting comes from a set of 35 made in Patna in northern India, depicting various trades and occupations. It shows a man seated on the ground making ‘snakes’ or stems for huqqas (hubble-bubbles or smoking pipes) made from coconut shells. Another man sits on the right holding a huqqa in his hands, while examples of the finished product are hanging on a rack behind and coconuts are lying on the ground in front.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Hookah Maker (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Painting; watercolour, a 'huqqa' maker, Patna, ca. 1826 |
| Physical description | A 'huqqa' (water-pipe) maker. From a group of 35 drawings of trades and occupations. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Presented by Lady Amherst |
| Object history | A 'huqqa' is a smoking device that consists of a container with smoking leaves mounted on a base filled with water. A long tube is attached so that smoke is drawn through the water where it is cooled and up the tube to the mouth. |
| Summary | This is an example of a ‘Company painting’ – a picture made by an Indian artist for the British in India, particularly employees of the East India Company, the trading firm that by the 18th century had acquired a territorial empire in India. The painting comes from a set of 35 made in Patna in northern India, depicting various trades and occupations. It shows a man seated on the ground making ‘snakes’ or stems for huqqas (hubble-bubbles or smoking pipes) made from coconut shells. Another man sits on the right holding a huqqa in his hands, while examples of the finished product are hanging on a rack behind and coconuts are lying on the ground in front. |
| Bibliographic reference | Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period
Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992, 87 p. ISBN 0944142303 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.44-1964 |
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| Record created | October 4, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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