{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O15755"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15755/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU0115/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU0115/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EU0115","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O15755/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O15755","accessionNumber":"D.1820-1898","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"One of sixty-three drawings from an Album depicting Sinhalese occupations and castes.","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is an example of a Company-style painting from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). It dates from about 1830 and depicts a Sinhalese queen. However, the Sinhalese monarchy had been abolished in 1818. The royal family had been pensioned off and settled in India.\r\n\r\nThis watercolour comes from an album of 63 coloured drawings of Sinhalese occupations and castes. A local artist made it around 1830 for a Mr Wells. He was presumably either the donor, Robert Wells, who gave it to the V&A in 1869, or a relative of his. \r\n\r\nIndian artists made Company Paintings for the British in India. They often used devices found in European painting. However, the style of this illustration owes much to early 19th century painting in Sri Lanka.\r\n\r\nThe British public were very interested in Sri Lanka and its people in the early 19th century. James Cordiner produced two volumes in 1807 giving a description of the island and containing an account of a tour round it in 1800. In 1808 Samuel Daniell produced <i>A Picturesque Illustration of the scenery, animals and native inhabitants of the Island of Ceylon</i>.","physicalDescription":"A Sinhalese queen is shown in costume and holding a fan.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour painting (technique)","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Indian Company Paintings","id":"THES49045"}],"styles":[{"text":"Company","id":"AAT18959"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2011EU0115"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES406586"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sri Lanka","id":"x30937"},"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":"Given by Robert Wells","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"20","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"bisa unnanse","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"Sinhalese","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"Sinhalese","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Sinhalese; Sinhalese"},{"content":"A Cingalese Queen. Royalty has been abolished in Ceylon since 1818 and the Royal famile reside on the continent [i.e. India] pensioned by Govt.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"English","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"English"}],"objectHistory":"Transferred from the Department of Engraving, Illustration & Design.\r\n\r\nRP 50/2190","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"A Sinhalese queen; watercolour, Sri Lanka, ca.1830","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","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 185 p. ISBN 0944142303"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Costume","id":"AAT209261"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["D.1820-1898"],"accessionNumberNum":"1820","accessionNumberPrefix":"D","accessionYear":1898,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":true}}