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Foster 106
- Record Id:
- 032-003264620
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-003264620
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100028181445.0x00042d
- LARK:
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- Foster 106
- Title:
-
Asaf al-Daula, Nawab of Oudh, 1775-97. A three-quarter length seated figure, with face turned half left. Artist(s): Zoffany, Johann (1733-1810)
- Scope & Content:
-
Asaf al-Daula, Nawab of Oudh, 1775-97, painted 1784
A three-quarter length seated figure, with face turned half left. His right hand rests upon one knee; the left is pressed against his side. The dress is of white muslin, with necklaces and armlets of pearls, rubies and uncut emeralds. He wears the typical Lucknow headdress of a red turban ornamented with a tinsel and velvet appliqué band attached by a jewelled frontlet.
Inscribed on a note on the back of the canvas: ‘Joh Zophany painted this Picture at Lucknow, A.D. 1784, by order of His Highness the Nabob Vizier Asoph ul Dowlah, who gave it to his Servant Francis Baladon Thomas’
50 by 40 ins (127 by 101.5 cms)
Purchased February 1906
Literature: ‘The journal of Indian art’ vol. 12, July 1909, no 107, pl.165; Lady Victoria Manners and G.C .Williamson, ‘John’ ‘Zoffany, R.A.’ (London, 1920), 207; W. Foster (1931) 82; ‘John Zoffany in India, 1783-89', ‘Journal of the Royal Society of Arts’, LXXIX, 1931; M. Webster, ‘Johan Zoffany,’ 1733-1810 (London, 1976); M. Archer (1979), 130-77, pl.89
Exhibited: Whitechapel, 1908 (8); Royal Academy, ‘The art of India and Pakistan’, 1947-48 (914); National Portrait Gallery, ‘Johan Zoffany,’ 1976 (102); National Portrait Gallery, ‘The Raj’, 1990, no.78.
Francis Baladon Thomas was a surgeon-major on the Bengal Establishment, and also a surgeon to the Lucknow Residency. In 1785, however, a quarrel with the Resident, Mr. Bristow, from whom he had demanded payment for medical attendance, led to his being brought before a court-martial and dismissed the service (W. Hough, ‘The practice of courts-martial’ (London, 1825), 734).
The picture has a fine carved frame, surmounted by a trophy of weapons, a flag and a fish, the symbol of Oudh.
- Collection Area:
- Visual Arts
- Project / Collection:
- India Office Oil Paintings
- Hierarchy Tree:
- [{ "id" : "032-003264620", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Foster 106: Asaf al-Daula, Nawab of Oudh, 1775-97. A three-quarter length seated figure, with face turned half left. Artist(s): Zoffany, Johann…" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-003264620
- Is part of:
- not applicable
- Hierarchy:
- 032-003264620
- Container:
- not applicable
- Record Type (Level):
- Fonds
- Extent:
- 1 Item
- Digitised Content:
- Languages:
- Not applicable
- Scripts:
- Not applicable
- Styles:
- British school
European school - Start Date:
- 1784
- End Date:
- 1784
- Date Range:
- 1784
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
- Restrictions to access apply please consult British Library staff
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- User Conditions:
- Appointment required to view these records. Please consult Asian and African Studies Print Room staff.
- Physical Characteristics:
-
Medium: oil paint; canvas
- Finding Aids:
- Mildred Archer, The India Office collection of paintings and sculpture (London, 1986), 49
- Exhibitions:
- APAC reading room, British Library
- Material Type:
- Prints, Drawings and Paintings
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)
- Names:
- Asaf al-Daula, Nawab Vizier of Avadh, 1775-1797
- Subjects:
- Portraits