Kharak Singh thumbnail 1
Kharak Singh thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Kharak Singh

Painting
ca. 1838 - ca. 1840 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Maharaja Kharak Singh (1801–1840) was the eldest son of the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab, Ranjit Singh (1780–1839). He was brought up in the family’s martial traditions and given nominal command of an expedition at the age of six. He succeeded his father in June 1839, but was caught up in plotting between different court factions. By October 1839 he was a virtual prisoner of Dhian Singh, his father’s prime minister and a member of the Hindu Dogra family. Always frail in constitution, he was slowly poisoned, finalled dying on 5 November 1840.

This painting was formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland, Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842. It was given to the V&A in 1953 by Lord Auckland’s great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleKharak Singh (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Brief description
Painting, Kharak Singh on horseback, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Sikh, Punjab Plain, ca. 1838-1840
Physical description
Painting, Maharaja Kharak Singh, in yellow turban, dark green coat, white jama and green trousers rides a white stallion with dark red saddlecloth edged with gold. He faces left. An attendant in white with reddish-brown turban and red trousers holds a red parasol over his head.
Dimensions
  • Frame height: 57.3cm
  • Frame width: 42.1cm
  • Frame depth: 3cm
Content description
Maharaja Kharak Singh, in yellow turban, dark green coat, white jama and green trousers rides a white stallion with dark red saddlecloth edged with gold. He faces left. An attendant in white with reddish-brown turban and red trousers holds a red parasol over his head.
Marks and inscriptions
"Rajah Khurruck Singh" (This English inscription is in the same hand as on IS.111-1953.)
Credit line
Given by O.E. Dickinson
Object history
This painting was formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland, Governor-General of India 1836-42, and brought back by him to England in 1842. It was given to the museum in 1953 by Lord Auckland's great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.
Production
Sikh
Subjects depicted
Summary
Maharaja Kharak Singh (1801–1840) was the eldest son of the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab, Ranjit Singh (1780–1839). He was brought up in the family’s martial traditions and given nominal command of an expedition at the age of six. He succeeded his father in June 1839, but was caught up in plotting between different court factions. By October 1839 he was a virtual prisoner of Dhian Singh, his father’s prime minister and a member of the Hindu Dogra family. Always frail in constitution, he was slowly poisoned, finalled dying on 5 November 1840.

This painting was formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland, Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842. It was given to the V&A in 1953 by Lord Auckland’s great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Paintings of the Sikhs / W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1966 cat. 89, fig. 21.
Collection
Accession number
IS.113-1953

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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