{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O15709"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15709/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EW1876/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EW1876/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EW1876","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BF7994","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY5329","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O15709/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O15709","accessionNumber":"03525(IS)","objectType":"Painting","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This Company Painting depicts a group of dancing-girls and musicians performing before an audience underneath a canopy on a terrace, and was made in Delhi in about 1830. The three dancing-girls are ranged in front of a group of  four musicians, two of whom hold <i>sarangis</i> (stringed instruments played with bows like European viols), while another holds a pair of small cymbals, and the fourth plays a <i>tabla</i> (drum). Typical of Company Painting is the combination of realistic perspective and shading--the sky with clouds, the canopy shown in correct perspective--and features that seem unnatural to western eyes, such as the way in which the carpet is laid out so that it is viewed from the top in order to display the pattern to its best advantage.","physicalDescription":"A group of dancing-girls and musicians performing beneath a canopy.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"opaque watercolour","id":"x35013"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in opaque watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[{"text":"Company","id":"AAT18959"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2011EW1876","2006BF7994","2018KY5329"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES406555"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Delhi","id":"x29851"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1830","earliest":"1825-01-01","latest":"1834-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"27.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"36","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"30.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Height of page","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"40.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Width of page","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting, dancers and musicians under canopy, opaque watercolour Delhi, ca. 1820-1840","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"pp. 164-5, cat. 145","free":"Archer, Mildred. <u> Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period</u> \r\nVictoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0944142303"},{"reference":{"text":"Bryant, Julius, Editor. Art and Design for All: The Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V&A Publishing, 2011. ISBN 9781851776665","id":"AUTH332208"},"details":"p.236, pl. 295","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Costume","id":"AAT209261"},{"text":"Musical Instruments","id":"AAT41620"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"A GROUP OF\r\nDANCERS AND\r\nMUSICIANS\r\nOpaque watercolour on\r\npaper\r\nDelhi\r\nc. 1830\r\n03525(IS)\r\nTransferred to the V&amp;A from the India\r\nMuseum in 1879\r\nBehind the three female dancers and singers in\r\nthe centre of the picture stand four musicians.\r\nEach of the two on the outside plays a sarangi,\r\nthe bearded man plays a tabla drum, while the\r\nfourth man holds a pair of finger cymbals. Tiny\r\ninscriptions record the names of the people,\r\nsuggesting that the performers were highly\r\nacclaimed in their day.","date":{"text":"01/08/2017","earliest":"2017-08-01","latest":"2017-08-01"}},{"text":"<b>A GROUP OF DANCING-GIRLS AND MUSICIANS</b>\r\nGouache on paper\r\nDelhi\r\nc. 1830\r\n03535(IS)\r\n\r\nBehind the three dancing-girls in the centre of the picture stand four musicians. The two on the outside play <i>sarangis</i>, the bearded man plays a <i>tabla</i>, while the fourth man holds a pair of crotales or finger cymbals.\r\n","date":{"text":"11/09/1997","earliest":"1997-09-11","latest":"1997-09-11"}}],"partNumbers":["03525(IS)"],"accessionNumberNum":"03525","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"India Museum Slip Book","id":"THES50388"},"number":"? 2,089"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-05","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":true}}