Ranjit Singh
1838
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1838
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Ranjit Singh is a 1838 paint by Unknown, a Patna School of Painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
You see a portrait of Ranjit Singh, the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab. He's shown from the side to hide his blind eye, a result of childhood smallpox. This portrait follows conventions from Mughal painting, with a halo and parasol. The artist used these conventions to show Ranjit Singh's royal status. The parasol is held by a bearer, adding to the royal scene. The portrait was likely painted during a visit by Lord Auckland to the Sikh court. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to learn more about this portrait.
The painting depicts Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839) on horseback, rendered in opaque watercolour and gold on paper. An attendant holds a parasol above him, a convention signifying royal status, while the ruler is shown in profile to conceal his blind eye caused by childhood smallpox. The work likely dates to around 1838, when Lord Auckland, then Governor-General of India, visited the Sikh court and later brought the portrait to England. It was donated to the V&A in 1953 by Auckland’s great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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