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Kaffir Slave Kabul

Godfrey Thomas Vigne

1836

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Kaffir Slave Kabul is a 1836 watercolor by Godfrey Thomas Vigne, a British Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Godfrey Thomas Vigne
When & what style?: 1836 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a man’s face in profile, turned slightly toward us. His hair is short, and he wears a plain white collar. The background is just a faint line, keeping all focus on his features. The artist used soft watercolors, leaving some areas sketchy and others smooth. The name "Kaffir Slave Kabul" is written below—likely the title. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

This watercolour drawing by Godfrey Thomas Vigne depicts a member of the Siyahposh, a division of the Kafirs, a group inhabiting the historic region of Kafiristan in the Hindukush. The term "Kafir," meaning "infidel" in Persian, reflects the region's pre-Islamic religious identity before its forced conversion to Islam in 1896. The artwork is part of a historical record, contextualized by Vigne's 1840 publication *A Personal Narrative of a Visit to Ghuzni, Kabul, And Afghanistan*. Acquired in 1971 from the artist's great-nephew, the piece is held alongside related works in a collection.

Read the full account in the museum source.