Who painted Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top)?

Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top) was painted by Raja Deen Dayal in 1884.

Where can I see Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top)?

Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top) is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top)?

Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top)

Raja Deen Dayal , 1884

Captain Brown's horses, Jhansi (recto, top) is a photography by the Impressionist artist Raja Deen Dayal. It dates from 1884 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This photograph is part of a disassembled album containing around 105 images taken in India between 1885 and 1887.

About this work

The horses belonged to a British officer, Captain Brown, and the image was likely made as a keepsake for someone far from home.

You see two horses standing side by side in bright sunlight, their reins held by an unseen handler.

This isn’t a painting—it’s an early photograph, one of the first to document British colonial life in India. The horses belonged to a British officer, Captain Brown, and the image was likely made as a keepsake for someone far from home. The shadows are sharp, almost like cutouts, because the photo was taken in strong midday light.

To see more of India through this photographer’s lens, look up Raja Deen Dayal (Indian, 1844–1905).

Overview

This photograph is part of a disassembled album containing around 105 images taken in India between 1885 and 1887. It depicts two horses belonging to Captain Brown, a British officer.

Subject & Meaning

The image shows two horses standing together, held by an unseen handler, likely serving as a personal memento for someone associated with British colonial life in India.

Technique & Style

The photograph's sharp shadows are characteristic of being taken in strong midday light, a common trait of early photography.

History & Provenance

The album was probably commissioned by a British civil servant as a souvenir of their experiences in India around 1888.

Context

The photograph is one of the early examples documenting British colonial life in India, offering a glimpse into the lives of the British colonial elite.