{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O70481"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70481/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH4485/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH4485/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH4485","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AW2854","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KV7692","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY7242","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O70481/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O70481","accessionNumber":"IS.37-1949","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Maharaja Gulab Singh ","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This painting was done in the Panjab Plains, probably about 1835, and is typical of the style associated with the court of the first Sikh Maharaja of the Panjab, Ranjit Singh (r.1801–1839). It depicts the Hindu Raja of Jammu performing ritual ablutions prior to worship.\r\n\r\nGulab Singh was one of the many Hindus in the army of the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh, joining in 1809. He succeeded his father, Kishora Singh, in 1822 as chief of the kingdom of Jammu, now part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and was a successful ruler as well as a fine soldier, serving in various campaigns in the Panjab hills and Kashmir. His loyalty to the Sikh state did not survive the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839, however. He passed military intelligence to the British before the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1845–1846, for which he was rewarded by being made ruler of Kashmir in addition to remaining ruler of the adjacent kingdom of Jammu.\r\n\r\nThe painting was formerly owned by the renowned collectors P. C. Manuk, an Indian lawyer, and his companion Miss G. M. Coles.","physicalDescription":"Painting, opaque watercolour on paper, Maharaja Gulab Singh (1792-1857) of Jammu standing being washed by a servant before worship. A princely figure sits in an alcove at top right. Hills and flowering trees are seen through a pillared verandah.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"opaque watercolour","id":"x35013"},{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in opaque watercolour 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":["2006AH4485","2006AW2854","2018KV7692","2018KY7242"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES403772"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT33618"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Punjab Plains","id":"x35287"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1835","earliest":"1830-01-01","latest":"1839-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"P. C. Manuk and Miss G. M. Coles Bequest through Art Fund","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This painting was formerly in the collection of the Indian lawyer Percival Chater Manuk and his companion, Miss G. M. Coles.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting, Maharaja Gulab Singh's ritual ablutions before worship, opaque watercolour on paper, Punjab Plains, ca. 1835","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Paintings of the Sikhs / W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1966","id":"AUTH337325"},"details":"p. 143, cat. no. 20, fig. 37.","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Stronge, S. (Ed.) \"The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms\", V&A, 1999","id":"AUTH327365"},"details":"p.221, Cat. 96","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Maharaja Gulab Singh (1792-1857) of Jammu's ritual ablutions before performing puja. A regal figure is seated in the top right hand corner. Hills and flowering trees are seen through a pillared verandah.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Gulab Singh (Maharaja)","id":"N893"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"ruler","id":"AAT25475"},{"text":"washing","id":"AAT53042"},{"text":"worship","id":"AAT56005"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"MAHARAJA GULAB SINGH\r\nOpaque watercolour\r\non paper\r\nPunjab Plains\r\nc. 1835\n\r\nIS.37-1949\r\nP.C. Manuk and Miss G.M. Coles Bequest, through the Art Fund\r\nGulab Singh is ritually washing himself in front of a small shrine within his palace. The miniature golden throne with a small parasol attached would usually have a statuette of a Hindu deity. Here, it has instead sacred shalagrama (black ammonite) stones associated with the god Vishnu. This may reflect the influence of Sikhism, which does not have figural representations of the deity, on local Hindu practice.","date":{"text":"27/9/2013","earliest":"2013-09-27","latest":"2013-09-27"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.37-1949"],"accessionNumberNum":"37","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1949,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2002-11-20","availableToBook":true}}