Nau Nihal Singh
Painting
ca. 1840 (made)
ca. 1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Nau Nihal Singh (1821–1840) was the grandson of the first Sikh ruler of the Panjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was extremely close to his grandfather and fought on various campaigns with the Khalsa (Sikh) Army. On Ranjit Singh’s death, Nau Nihal’s father, Kharak Singh, became ruler, but was overwhelmed by factional fighting that broke out at court and was eventually poisoned. As Nau Nihal Singh returned to Lahore after the funeral rites, the gateway under which he rode fell on him. He suffered only minor injuries but was taken inside the fort and murdered.
This painting was formerly owned by Queen Mary, wife of George V. From English inscriptions on related paintings from the same source, it is thought that they were all made between October 1839 and November 1840, when Nau Nihal Singh died.
This painting was formerly owned by Queen Mary, wife of George V. From English inscriptions on related paintings from the same source, it is thought that they were all made between October 1839 and November 1840, when Nau Nihal Singh died.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Nau Nihal Singh (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Nau Nihal Singh, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Punjab Plain, ca. 1840 |
| Physical description | Painting, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, portrait of Nau Nihal Singh, facing right, sits on an oval rug of deep blue edged with bright yellow, wears a green turban, yellow trousers, yellow shawl and mauve coat. His right arm is outside the sleeve and his left hand rests on his left knee. Smallpox scars are clearly visible on his face. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | A portrait of Nau Nihal Singh. |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Kunwar Nao Nahal Singh grandson and the virtual ruler of the Panjab' (W.G. Archer has suggested that this note and those on the others in the same group, all formerly owned by Queen Mary, mean that the first (unknown) British owner acquired the series between October 1839 and November 1840.) |
| Credit line | Given by H. M. Queen Mary. |
| Object history | Formerly owned by Queen Mary. |
| Production | Sikh |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Nau Nihal Singh (1821–1840) was the grandson of the first Sikh ruler of the Panjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was extremely close to his grandfather and fought on various campaigns with the Khalsa (Sikh) Army. On Ranjit Singh’s death, Nau Nihal’s father, Kharak Singh, became ruler, but was overwhelmed by factional fighting that broke out at court and was eventually poisoned. As Nau Nihal Singh returned to Lahore after the funeral rites, the gateway under which he rode fell on him. He suffered only minor injuries but was taken inside the fort and murdered. This painting was formerly owned by Queen Mary, wife of George V. From English inscriptions on related paintings from the same source, it is thought that they were all made between October 1839 and November 1840, when Nau Nihal Singh died. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Paintings of the Sikhs / W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1966
cat. 16, p. 140 and fig. 32. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.58-1936 |
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| Record created | November 20, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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