India

portrait miniature, india

  • John Smart, portrait of an unknown man with the initials 'ER'



    John Smart (about 1742-1811)
    Portrait of an Unknown Man with the Initials 'ER'
    1789
    Watercolour on ivory
    Signed lower left 'J.S.' in monogram and dated '1789', followed by 'I'for India. At the back of the gold locket is a hair insert in the form of a plaited cross and the letters 'ER'
    Museum no. P.19-1984
    Bequeathed by Mrs K. Gifford Scott

    This miniature of an unknown Indian man is inscribed with the letter 'I'. Smart identified all the miniatures he painted in India in this way.

  • John Smart, portrait of Muhammad Ali Khan



    John Smart (about 1742-1811)
    Portrait of Muhammad Ali Khan, Nawab of Arcot
    1781
    Watercolour on ivory
    Signed lower left, 'J.S.', in monogram, and dated '1787', followed by 'I', indicating that it was painted in India
    Museum no. P.13-1930
    Presented by Harry N. Jonas, in memory of his wife, Rosa Maud Jonas

    Muhammad Ali Khan was Nawab (ruler) of Arcot and the Carnatic. He mixed frequently with Europeans and commissioned work from western artists living in Madras.

  • John Smart, portrait of an unknown man



    John Smart (1742-1811)
    Portrait of an unknown man
    1787
    Watercolour on ivory
    Signed lower left, ‘J.S.’, in monogram, and dated ‘1787’, followed by ‘I’ indicating that it was painted in India. The back of the locket is engraved with the sitter’s monogram ‘W.S.D’
    Museum no. Evans 222
    Alan Evans Bequest, given by the National Gallery

    This sitter has traditionally been called ‘Captain W. S. Dawe, Grenadier Officer in the Indian Infantry’.

  • Ozias Humphry, portrait of Hyder Beg Khan



    Ozias Humphry, RA (1742-1810)
    Portrait of Hyder Beg Khan
    1786
    Watercolour on ivory
    Inscribed on the backing paper, probably by the artist, ‘Hyder Beg Khan / the minister of [...] Asoph ul Dowlah / 1786 / Lucknow’
    Museum no. Evans 142
    Alan Evans Bequest, given by the National Gallery

    Hyder Beg Khan was the minister to Asaf-Au-Daula, the Nawab (ruler) of Oudh.

  • Diana Hill, portrait of an unknown girl



    Diana Hill, born Dietz (about 1760-1844)
    'Unknown Girl'
    About 1800
    Watercolour on ivory
    Museum no. P.139-1929

    The East India Company made it difficult for company employees to marry Indian women. But there were many unofficial 'marriages'. This girl in her fashionable western clothes could be the daughter of such a couple.

  • Diana Hill, portrait of Lieutenant Thomas Harriott



    Diana Hill, born Dietz (bout 1760-1844)
    Portrait of Lieutenant Thomas Harriott, the Artist's Second Husband
    1791
    Watercolour on ivory
    Signed lower right 'D.H.' in monogram and dated '1791'
    Museum no. P.126-1920

    Thomas Harriott was an officer in the East India Company's service. He met Diana Hill, a widow, in India, and they married in 1788. Having raised a family, they moved back to England in 1806.

  • George Chinnery, portrait of Catherine Sherson



    George Chinnery (1774-1852)
    Portrait of Catherine Sherson, born Taylor
    1802 or 1803
    Watercolour on ivory
    Signed lower right 'C' and also 'EI', indicating that it was painted in the East Indies, and dated '180(?)'
    Museum no. P.27-1922

    Catherine (1780-1858) was a daughter of Captain, afterwards Colonel John Taylor of Madras. She married Robert Sherson at Madras in 1798. Like many of Catherine's family, her husband worked for the East India Company.

  • Charles Hayter, portrait of an unknown boy



    Charles Hayter (1761-1835)
    Portrait of an unknown boy
    About 1800
    Watercolour on ivory
    Museum no. P.24-1923

    This boy holds the miniature of his mother and siblings, (Museum no. P.23-1923). His father was a purser in the East India Company 's service, probably working on the ships that travelled between India and Britain. The miniature was painted in London, possibly for the boy 's father to carry with him.

  • Charles Hayter, portrait of an unknown woman and two children



    Charles Hayter (1761-1835)
    Portrait of an unknown woman and two children
    About 1800
    Watercolour on ivory
    Museum no. P.23-1923

    This shows the mother and siblings of the boy in Museum no. P.24-1923. Her husband was a purser in the East India Company 's service. The miniature was painted in London, possibly for the woman 's husband to carry with him.

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