A horse and groom - 1830-1850
By Sheikh Muhammad Amir , (Indian, 19th century)

Pencil and opaque watercolor with touches of white and gum arabic
H: 28.0 W: 44.5 cm
Kolkata (Calcutta), East India, India

Sheikh Muhammad Amir of Karraya (a suburb of Calcutta), the greatest of the Calcutta Company School painters, specialized in portraying the domestic lives of the British in India. Collected in albums, his paintings record prized possessions and testify to British efforts to recreate their customs in an unfamiliar land.

The renowned artist's most powerful paintings are those that depict horses and grooms. Although the subject is traditional—court painters had long produced images of favorite horses for Indian royalty—the accomplished shading and textures, accurate anatomy, and cast shadows evince Sheikh Muhammad Amir's mastery of the new style. Here, his subtle balance of emphatic silhouette with exquisite detail results in a refined image with an almost disturbing air of stillness.

Source: Smithsonian Institution