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Lot Essay
In this superbly painted group portrait, the master artist of the Fraser Album has portrayed a heavily armed group of warriors. Two of the figures look directly at the viewer with an unnervingly direct and penetrating gaze, drawing us directly in to their world.
Many of the paintings from the Fraser album depict well-knit groups of figures, be they soldiers, merchants, villagers or dancers. It is likely to have been James’ example that led to the surprisingly European compositions of these groups – with related figures formally arranged, either standing or sitting. As Cary Welch commented, these portraits brilliantly capture their subjects characters in a prefiguring of the style of early photographs. Indeed interesting comparisons can be drawn with early photographs of India, such as those of John McCosh, Friedrick Fiebig or Shepherd & Robertson who were all active there in the mid-19th century, a few decades after the Fraser Albums’ completion. Two photographs by Fred Bremner, a slightly later 19th century photographer, are worth comparing directly (both in the National Galleries of Scotland). One shows a group of three Afghan warriors standing in deliberate poses with their weapons (PGP.129.44) and the other a group of Pathans and Baluchis (PGP.116.3). The way that some of the figures look directly at the camera in an unnerving manner whilst others look left and right is distinctly reminiscent of the figures in the present painting and in other Fraser Album pages, such as lot 47. The subjects of these photographs, like ours, depict individuals in similarly prescribed arrangements, and were often a response to the same urge to record, categorize and possess the image of India and its people.
In his book The Last Mughal, Dalrymple refers to this painting as Soldiers of fortune seeking employment. Syed Jellaludeen and Gulab Singh, the two central figures here, are laden with all forms of weapon – from katars and bows and arrows to pistols and long tulwars. "Encouraged to show every textile, weapon and twist of hair with illusionistic accuracy, the artist proves that the Mughal tradition remained brilliantly alive well into the 19th century” (Stuart Cary Welch, quoted in Losty and Roy 2012, p.222).
Many of the paintings from the Fraser album depict well-knit groups of figures, be they soldiers, merchants, villagers or dancers. It is likely to have been James’ example that led to the surprisingly European compositions of these groups – with related figures formally arranged, either standing or sitting. As Cary Welch commented, these portraits brilliantly capture their subjects characters in a prefiguring of the style of early photographs. Indeed interesting comparisons can be drawn with early photographs of India, such as those of John McCosh, Friedrick Fiebig or Shepherd & Robertson who were all active there in the mid-19th century, a few decades after the Fraser Albums’ completion. Two photographs by Fred Bremner, a slightly later 19th century photographer, are worth comparing directly (both in the National Galleries of Scotland). One shows a group of three Afghan warriors standing in deliberate poses with their weapons (PGP.129.44) and the other a group of Pathans and Baluchis (PGP.116.3). The way that some of the figures look directly at the camera in an unnerving manner whilst others look left and right is distinctly reminiscent of the figures in the present painting and in other Fraser Album pages, such as lot 47. The subjects of these photographs, like ours, depict individuals in similarly prescribed arrangements, and were often a response to the same urge to record, categorize and possess the image of India and its people.
In his book The Last Mughal, Dalrymple refers to this painting as Soldiers of fortune seeking employment. Syed Jellaludeen and Gulab Singh, the two central figures here, are laden with all forms of weapon – from katars and bows and arrows to pistols and long tulwars. "Encouraged to show every textile, weapon and twist of hair with illusionistic accuracy, the artist proves that the Mughal tradition remained brilliantly alive well into the 19th century” (Stuart Cary Welch, quoted in Losty and Roy 2012, p.222).