Muhammad Kaha, late 19th Century

The British took over the administration of the Punjab in 1849 after the Sikh Wars. Although the Punjab plains had no great artistic tradition, artists began making portraits of the Sikh rulers and officials at Adinanagar, Lahore and Amritsar. When British travellers or officials visited the Punjab during the reign of Rangit Singh (1801-1839) and his successors, painters were often commissioned to record the event. In the present picture a Punjab artist depicts both a European official and a Sikh of high importance, riding together in a carriage. The Hindi inscription in the present watercolour possibly translates as 'meeting of Parti Singhi with...'.