Drawing, Saint Kabir weaving, in ink and paint on paper, Punjab plain, late 19th century

Drawing, in ink and paint on paper, depicting the weaver Saint Kabir at his loom, with his wife and a musician.

The weaver Saint Kabir at his loom, with his wife and a musician.

Given by Rudyard Kipling Esq., Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex

Part of an album, containing 196 prints, paintings and pen and pencil drawings together with 37 loose pages of paintings, calligraphic drawings, and outline pen drawings. The collection is mainly composed of native lithograph pictures sold at the local bazaars and fairs of Upper India and Bengal. The album was collected by late J Lockwood Kipling between the years 1865 and 1893. In 1875 he became Principal of the Mayo School of Art, Lahore and held this post until his retirement in 1893. The album was presented to the Museum by his son, Rudyard Kipling in 1917.

Given by Rudyard Kipling Esq., Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex. 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.

R.P. 1917-2627M, R.P. 1917-2705M

This brush drawing dating from the late 19th century is of a type made for pilgrims or European visitors. It was collected at one of the local fairs or bazaars by John Lockwood Kipling while he was director from 1875 to 1893 of the Mayo School of Art at Lahore, in present-day north-east Pakistan. His famous son Rudyard presented it to the V&A in 1917. It depicts the weaver-saint Kabir (1440–1518) at his loom, with his wife and a musician. As well as being a weaver, Kabir was a mystic poet who influenced both Hindus and Muslims and had a profound impact on Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. Many of his poems can be found in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scriptures of the Sikhs.

IM.2:59-1917