{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O108193"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O108193/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM7068/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM7068/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM7068","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AV5235","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KV8998","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O108193/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O108193","accessionNumber":"IS.53-1882","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Street scene in Lahore","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"William Carpenter was the eldest son of the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter and of William Hookham Carpenter, who became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 he set off in the footsteps of his younger brother Percy, also an artist, and landed in Bombay. He spent much of his time painting portraits of local rulers and the surrounding countryside, often wearing Indian dress himself. He travelled widely, from Sri Lanka in the south to Kashmir in the north, and he also spent some time in the Punjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856. Ten years later he was living in Boston, USA, but he moved back to London, where he died in 1899. Carpenter's Indian pictures display a particular interest in costume, agriculture, and the day-to-day lives of the local inhabitants. This painting shows a crowded street scene in Lahore in the Punjab (now in Pakistan) and includes the back of a mosque. Carpenter has dated the painting twice, the first time '1855', the second time 'December 1856', suggesting either a mistake or that he returned in 1856 to complete a picture started the previous year.","physicalDescription":"Street scene. Stalls selling goods and lots of people in the foreground. Mosque in the background.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Carpenter, William","id":"A6229"},"association":{"text":"painter","id":"x38307"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour painting (technique)","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil and watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2007BM7068","2006AV5235","2018KV8998"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES403681"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Lahore","id":"x30874"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1855-1856","earliest":"1855-01-01","latest":"1856-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from William Carpenter","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"35.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Historical significance: William Carpenter (1818-99)\r\n\r\nWilliam Carpenter was trained at the Royal Academy Schools, and was the eldest son of the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter and William Hookham Carpenter, who became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum.  \r\n\r\nHe was in India from 1850 to 1856, during which time he travelled extensively from Bombay (Mumbai) and across western India to Rajasthan, Delhi, Kashmir, Lahore and Afghanistan. His depiction of every day street scenes and groups of people is remarkably accurate and animated, his portraits vividly capturing the character of his sitters and the glowing effects of sunlight as cityscapes and architectural monuments. Brilliantly executed in a range of warm colours, his watercolours evoke a gentle romanticism.\r\n\r\nAfter his return to England, The Illustrated London News published some of his watercolours. In 1881, he exhibited 275 of his paintings in a one-man show in the South Kensington Museum, London. This entire collection was subsequently acquired by the V&A.\n\nMuseum numbers IS.33-1888 to IS.166-1888 purchased from Mr. Carpenter for £500. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting of a street scene in Lahore by William Carpenter, watercolour on paper, 1855-56","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Rohatgi P. and Parlett G., assisted by Imray S. and Godrej P. <u>Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists: Paintings and Drawings from the Victoria and Albert Museum, 17th to the early 20th century</u>. Published by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, in association with V&A, London, 2008. ISBN 81-901020-9-5.","id":"AUTH329675"},"details":"p. 278, pl. 36","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Patel, Divia; Rohatgi, Pauline and Godrej, Pheroza, \"Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists: an exhibition of paintings and drawings from the 17th to the early 20th century organised by the V&A and CSMVS\". Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai and Victoria and Albert Museum, 2008, ISBN:81-901020-8-7","id":"AUTH330101"},"details":"p. 65","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.53-1882"],"accessionNumberNum":"53","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1882,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"2004-12-24","availableToBook":true}}