Explained: Beautiful painting of Tipu’s combat charge, why is it worth crores?
Known to be a patron of art, Tipu Sultan commissioned many important paintings. Several of them have become known in recent years, collecting astronomical sums at auction. Another work from his hoard will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s ‘Arts from the Islamic World and India’ auction on Wednesday 30 March. Titled ‘The Battle of Pollilur’, the work described by historian William Dalrymple as ‘one of the great masterpieces of the era’ is expected to fetch between £5,000,000 and £8,000,000.
What does the painting represent?
The monumental painting nearly 32 feet long depicts the victory of the Army of Mysore led by Haidar Ali, the ruler of Mysore, and his son Tipu, against the British East India Company troops in the Battle of Pollilur , which took place in September. 1780. Gouache on paper with black rulers shows British soldiers fighting against the Mysore army.
In a note about the work on the Sotheby’s website, Darymple writes, “The painting spans ten large sheets of paper, nearly thirty-two feet (978.5 cm) long, and focuses on the moment where the company’s ammunition cart explodes, shattering the British square, while Tipu’s cavalry advances from left to right, “like the waves of an angry sea”, according to contemporary Mughal historian Ghulam Husain Khan. The rosy-cheeked and rather effeminate-looking Company troops await in fear the impact of Mysore’s charge, as the gallant, strong-moustached Mysore Spearmen close in to slay him.
What is the meaning of the table?
The work was commissioned by Tipu Sultan, the last ruler of Mysore, as part of a large mural for the newly built Daria Daulat Bagh at Seringapatam in 1784.
Only three of these paintings are known. One, which sold at a Sotheby’s auction in 2010 for £769,250, is thought to have been heavily restored, unlike the work currently up for auction.
The work to come under the hammer is now part of a private collection in the UK and has been displayed in numerous exhibitions, including a 1990 exhibition in London and a 1999 exhibition in Edinburgh.
What other Tipu Sultan memorabilia have been auctioned in recent years?
In November 2021, one of the eight tiger heads that adorned Tipu Sultan’s throne was auctioned for £1.5million. The UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has temporarily blocked its export, saying the throne’s flagship is closely linked to British history and hopes a buyer can be found in the UK. United.
Items from Tipu Sultan’s armory sold at auction for around £107,000 in March 2019. It included a silver-mounted 20-caliber flintlock pistol and bayonet which went under the hammer for £60,000. The same year, in June, Christie’s sold Tipu Sultan’s “Magic Box” for $495,000.
In 2015, a collection of arms and armor from Tipu sold at Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art sale for a total of over £6million. The 30 objects in the auction come from a single collection.
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