{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O70023"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70023/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HC2430/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HC2430/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HC2430","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AW3370","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM6205","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KR9659","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O70023/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O70023","accessionNumber":"IS.114-1953","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Ranjit Singh and Hira Singh","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This painting shows Ranjit Singh, the first Sikh maharaja of the Panjab (r.1801–1839), seated on a western-style chair with his legs tucked underneath him, the manner in which he was often seen by European visitors to the court. He is shown with Hira Singh (1816-–1844), who was introduced to the maharaja by his father, Dhian Singh, an influential Hindu courtier. Ranjit Singh gave the boy the title of raja in 1828 and then proclaimed him ‘Farzand-i khas’ – ‘the favoured son’. \r\n\r\nThe painting was formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland, Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842, who went to the court of Ranjit Singh in 1838. The painting was brought by him to England in 1842 and given to the V&A in 1953 by Auckland’s great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.","physicalDescription":"Painting, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Maharaja Ranjit Singh seated with Hira Singh. Ranjit Singh (left), in yellow turban, white shirt and dark green trousers, sits in a gold chair, with his legs tucked under him on the seat. Seated before him is his favourite companion, Hira Singh, in white jama, crimson coat and yellow turban and trousers.  At the top is an orange blind edged with dark green. A frail tree with pink flowers grows against a backdrop of pale green.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"opaque watercolour","id":"x35013"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper","categories":[{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2014HC2430","2006AW3370","2006AM6205","2018KR9659"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES403772"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT33618"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Punjab Plain","id":"x35287"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1838 - ca. 1840","earliest":"1833-01-01","latest":"1844-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"IS.112-1953","id":"O70557"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"IS.111-1953","id":"O114157"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"IS.115-1953","id":"O79149"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"IS.113-1953","id":"O79148"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"IS.116-1953","id":"O79150"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"IS.117-1953","id":"O79151"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Given by O. E. Dickinson","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"201","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"painting only","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"139","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"painting only","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"283","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with border","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"222","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with border","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Maharaja Runjit Singh & Raja Heera Singh'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"This English inscription is in the same hand as that on IS 111-1953"}],"objectHistory":"Formerly in the collection of Lord Auckland (Governor-General of India 1836-1842) and brought by him to England in 1842. It was given to the V&A by Auckland's great-nephew, O.E. Dickinson.","historicalContext":"Hira Singh was introduced to Maharaja Ranjit Singh by his father, Dhian Singh, an influential Hindu courtier. The maharaja took favourably to the young boy and treated him with great generosity, eventually bestowing on him the title of Raja in 1828 and then proclaiming him \"farzand-e khas\", or \"favoured son\". After Ranjit Singh's death, Hira Singh became Prime Minister in 1843 but became increasingly unpopular and was murdered in December 1844.","briefDescription":"Painting, Ranjit Singh with Hira Singh, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Sikh, Punjab Plain, ca. 1838-1840","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Paintings of the Sikhs / W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1966","id":"AUTH337325"},"details":" p. 129 and fig. 19.","free":"\r\nJaffer, A. Furniture from British India and Ceylon: a catalogue of the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2001. ISBN 1 85177 318 5. p.116, fig.47."}],"production":"Sikh","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Maharaja Ranjit Singh seated with Hira Singh. Ranjit Singh (left), in yellow turban, white shirt and dark green trousers, sits in a gold chair, with his legs tucked under him on the seat. Seated before him is his favourite companion, Hira Singh.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Ranjit Singh (Maharaja)","id":"N894"},{"text":"Singh, Hira","id":"N1509"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"ruler","id":"AAT25475"},{"text":"chair","id":"AAT37772"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.114-1953"],"accessionNumberNum":"114","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1953,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-05","recordCreationDate":"2002-11-13","availableToBook":true}}