Ranjit Singh and Hira Singh
Painting
ca. 1838 - ca. 1840 (made)
ca. 1838 - ca. 1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting shows Ranjit Singh, the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab (r.1801–1839), seated on a western-style chair with his legs tucked underneath him, the manner in which he was often seen by European visitors to the court. He is shown with Hira Singh (1816-–1844), who was introduced to the maharaja by his father, Dhian Singh, an influential Hindu courtier. Ranjit Singh gave the boy the title of raja in 1828 and then proclaimed him ‘Farzand-i khas’ – ‘the favoured son’.
The painting was formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland, Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842, who went to the court of Ranjit Singh in 1838. The painting was brought by him to England in 1842 and given to the V&A in 1953 by Auckland’s great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.
The painting was formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland, Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842, who went to the court of Ranjit Singh in 1838. The painting was brought by him to England in 1842 and given to the V&A in 1953 by Auckland’s great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Ranjit Singh and Hira Singh (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Ranjit Singh with Hira Singh, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Sikh, Punjab Plain, ca. 1838-1840 |
| Physical description | Painting, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Maharaja Ranjit Singh seated with Hira Singh. Ranjit Singh (left), in yellow turban, white shirt and dark green trousers, sits in a gold chair, with his legs tucked under him on the seat. Seated before him is his favourite companion, Hira Singh, in white jama, crimson coat and yellow turban and trousers. At the top is an orange blind edged with dark green. A frail tree with pink flowers grows against a backdrop of pale green. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Content description | Maharaja Ranjit Singh seated with Hira Singh. Ranjit Singh (left), in yellow turban, white shirt and dark green trousers, sits in a gold chair, with his legs tucked under him on the seat. Seated before him is his favourite companion, Hira Singh. |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Maharaja Runjit Singh & Raja Heera Singh' (This English inscription is in the same hand as that on IS 111-1953) |
| Credit line | Given by O. E. Dickinson |
| Object history | Formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland (Governor-General of India 1836-1842) and brought by him to England in 1842. It was given to the V&A by Auckland's great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson. |
| Historical context | Hira Singh was introduced to Maharaja Ranjit Singh by his father, Dhian Singh, an influential Hindu courtier. The maharaja took favourably to the young boy and treated him with great generosity, eventually bestowing on him the title of Raja in 1828 and then proclaiming him "farzand-e khas", or "favoured son". After Ranjit Singh's death, Hira Singh became Prime Minister in 1843 but became increasingly unpopular and was murdered in December 1844. |
| Production | Sikh |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This painting shows Ranjit Singh, the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab (r.1801–1839), seated on a western-style chair with his legs tucked underneath him, the manner in which he was often seen by European visitors to the court. He is shown with Hira Singh (1816-–1844), who was introduced to the maharaja by his father, Dhian Singh, an influential Hindu courtier. Ranjit Singh gave the boy the title of raja in 1828 and then proclaimed him ‘Farzand-i khas’ – ‘the favoured son’. The painting was formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland, Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842, who went to the court of Ranjit Singh in 1838. The painting was brought by him to England in 1842 and given to the V&A in 1953 by Auckland’s great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Paintings of the Sikhs / W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1966
p. 129 and fig. 19.
Jaffer, A. Furniture from British India and Ceylon: a catalogue of the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2001. ISBN 1 85177 318 5. p.116, fig.47. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.114-1953 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | November 13, 2002 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
