Not on display

A Maratha couple

Painting
ca. 1770 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

One of thirty-six paintings of castes and occupations of South India showing a man and wife with the attributes of their trade. Inscribed on border at bottom in English, with name of caste or occupation: all the paintings were mounted in an album with a watermark, J. Ruse 1799, and a bookplate bearing the name of Joseph Whatley and the Latin motto 'Pelle Timorem' (banish fear).
All the paintings have a red border, a strip of tangled cloud at the top, heavy looped shadows attached to the feet, and a dark green ground. However, they appear to be by three different hands: one with strongly-drawn figures against a Yellow background, one with more detailed figures against a deep blue background, and a third with weaker figures against green and blue backgrounds.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleA Maratha couple (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Gouache
Brief description
Painting; Gouache, A Maratha couple, Tanjore, ca. 1770
Physical description
One of thirty-six paintings of castes and occupations of South India showing a man and wife with the attributes of their trade. This one showing a Maratha couple; the man holding 'pan' in a green background.
Dimensions
  • Height: 34cm
  • Width: 25cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed: Tanjore Mahratta-Cast
Summary
One of thirty-six paintings of castes and occupations of South India showing a man and wife with the attributes of their trade. Inscribed on border at bottom in English, with name of caste or occupation: all the paintings were mounted in an album with a watermark, J. Ruse 1799, and a bookplate bearing the name of Joseph Whatley and the Latin motto 'Pelle Timorem' (banish fear).
All the paintings have a red border, a strip of tangled cloud at the top, heavy looped shadows attached to the feet, and a dark green ground. However, they appear to be by three different hands: one with strongly-drawn figures against a Yellow background, one with more detailed figures against a deep blue background, and a third with weaker figures against green and blue backgrounds.
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, 45 p. ISBN 0944142303
Other number
9128 - Previous number
Collection
Accession number
AL.9128:3

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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