Artwork
Mysore rocket man
Mysore rocket man is a watercolor work on paper by Robert Home. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The watercolour 'Mysore rocket man' is a work associated with Robert Home, a British artist active in the Indian subcontinent from 1791.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a man in traditional attire holding a stick with a bundle of sticks attached, suggesting a connection to early rocketry in the Mysore region. The man's clothing and pose imply a specific cultural or historical context.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in watercolour, a medium suited to capturing the subtleties of the subject's attire and surroundings. The style of the painting reflects Home's background as a portrait painter, with attention to detail in the figure's clothing and pose.
History & Provenance
The painting is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection, indicating its significance as a historical document. Home's arrival in India in 1791 provides a terminus post quem for the work, although the exact date remains uncertain.
Artist & collection
Artist
Robert Home (1752–1834) was a British oil portrait painter who travelled to the Indian subcontinent in 1791. During his travels he also painted historic scenes and landscapes.
