Artwork
A Tanjore man in a white 'jama' holding 'pan' .
A Tanjore man in a white 'jama' holding 'pan' . is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1770 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This work is one of a series of thirty‑six small paintings that depict the various castes and occupations of South India.
About this work
Overview
This work is one of a series of thirty‑six small paintings that depict the various castes and occupations of South India.
This work is one of a series of thirty‑six small paintings that depict the various castes and occupations of South India. Each image presents a male figure, here a Tanjore resident, dressed in a white jama and holding a pan, accompanied by a similarly rendered spouse in the companion piece. The set was bound together in a single album, identifiable by a watermark dated 1799 and a bookplate bearing the name Joseph Whatley and the Latin motto “Pelle Timorem.”
Subject & Meaning
The figure represents a specific occupational group from the Tanjore region, identified by his attire and the pan he carries, which were traditional markers of his trade. The accompanying inscription in English along the lower border names the caste, providing a straightforward visual catalogue of social roles within the South Indian hierarchy of the period.
Technique & Style
All paintings in the series share a red border, a cloud‑like strip at the top, and heavy looped shadows beneath the feet, set against a dark green ground. Variations in background hue—yellow, deep blue, or mixed green‑blue—and the strength of the figure’s outlines suggest the hand of three different artists. The overall composition is simple, employing limited colour palettes and clear delineation of form.
History & Provenance
The album containing these works bears a watermark from 1799, indicating its compilation at the close of the eighteenth century. The bookplate of Joseph Whatley, a collector whose interests included ethnographic illustration, links the series to a European audience interested in documenting Indian social structures during the colonial era.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
