{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O16833"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16833/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EX3227/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EX3227/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EX3227","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB7678","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O16833/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O16833","accessionNumber":"03554(IS)","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Portrait of Begam Samru","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This Company painting is by Jiwan Das of Delhi and is a portrait of Begam Samru, a remarkable Kashmiri woman who started out as a dancing-girl. She originally married the adventurer Walter Reinhardt, who sailed to India in 1745, jumped ship and enlisted with the French. He was later recruited by the Mughal Governor in Bengal. He led an army which defeated the Honourable East India Company’s army and was ultimately given the fiefdom of Sardhana. Following his death, Begam Samru inherited his army of six well-trained and disciplined infantry battalions, and she even led her troops into battle in person. She became extremely rich, and in her old age she converted to Christianity and built a fine church at Sardhana. This portrait dates from about 1830, when she was nearly 80.\r\n\r\n'Company paintings' were produced by Indian artists for Europeans living and working in the Indian subcontinent, especially British employees of the East India Company. They represent a fusion of traditional Indian artistic styles with conventions and technical features borrowed from western art. Some Company paintings were specially commissioned, while others were virtually mass-produced and could be purchased in bazaars.","physicalDescription":"Begam Samru is pictured wearing a Kashmir shawl and holding a huqqa-snake, with a draped curtain behind her.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Jiwan Ram","id":"A2232"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"gold shell","id":"THES277093"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on paper with gold shell.  \r\n\r\nIn 1992 this piece was published as being painted in gouche.  On further examination in 2017 by our paper conservator and miniature portrait specialist, it was confirmed as being painted in watercolour with added embelishment of gold shell.","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Indian Company Paintings","id":"THES49045"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[{"text":"Company","id":"AAT18959"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2011EX3227","2017KB7678"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES403777"},"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":"Presented by General Briggs","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"8.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting, Begam Samru; wearing a Kashmir shawl; holding a huqqa-snake; draped curtain behind her, Delhi, 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 164 p. ISBN 0944142303"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Begam Samru","id":"N849"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Costume","id":"AAT209261"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"PORTRAIT OF BEGUM SAMRU (NEE ZEB AL-NISA) (c. 1753-1836)\r\nJivan Ram\r\nWatercolour on paper with gold shell\r\nDelhi\r\nc. 1830\r\nO3554 (IS)\r\nPresented by General Briggs\r\nFrom humble beginnings as the daughter of\r\na Kashmiri merchant, Begum Samru went on\r\nto lead the army of her late husband Walter Reindhart in the district of Sardhana, in Uttar Pradesh. As a Catholic convert and patron of the arts, she commissioned the building of a church. This portrait is testament to her elevated social standing in the early 19th century.","date":{"text":"0//08/2017","earliest":"2017-08-01","latest":"2017-08-31"}}],"partNumbers":["03554(IS)"],"accessionNumberNum":"03554","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"India Museum Slip Book","id":"THES50388"},"number":"11,649"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-05","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":true}}