The Muharram procession
Painting
ca. 1795 - ca. 1805 (painted)
ca. 1795 - ca. 1805 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is one of a group of nine paintings. They depict a durbar (public reception) at the Murshidabad court, and various Hindu and Muslim festivals and religious scenes. A Murshidabad artist copied it, probably from an original oil painting by George Farington. He had worked in Murshidabad from May 1785 until his death there in 1788. Farington's original is lost. This painting shows the Muharram procession, in which Muslims carry 'tazias' or 'ta'ziyas' (bamboo and paper replicas of the tombs of Hasan and Husain) to the river for immersion. The festival commemorates the deaths of these two grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad. Shiah Muslims regard them as the rightful heirs to his caliphate.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Muharram procession (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Opaque watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Painting; gouache, The Muharram procession, models of tombs being taken to the river for immersion, Murshidabad, ca. 1795 - ca. 1805 |
| Physical description | The Muharram procession. The 'tazias', miniature models of the two martyrs' tombs, being taken to the river for immersion. One of nine drawings depicting a durbar at the Murshidabad court and various Hindu and Muslim festivals and religious scenes. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Purchased from Mr. T. Toon (or possibly Mr J.Joon), 38 Leicester Square |
| Object history | The volume containing 49 watercolour paintings is entitled 'Views in India'. It was bought from Mr. T. Toon, 38 Leicester Square, for £50 on 4 March 1887. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This is one of a group of nine paintings. They depict a durbar (public reception) at the Murshidabad court, and various Hindu and Muslim festivals and religious scenes. A Murshidabad artist copied it, probably from an original oil painting by George Farington. He had worked in Murshidabad from May 1785 until his death there in 1788. Farington's original is lost. This painting shows the Muharram procession, in which Muslims carry 'tazias' or 'ta'ziyas' (bamboo and paper replicas of the tombs of Hasan and Husain) to the river for immersion. The festival commemorates the deaths of these two grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad. Shiah Muslims regard them as the rightful heirs to his caliphate. |
| 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, 80 p. ISBN 0944142303 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.11:12-1887 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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