Artwork
Mulraj, governor of Multan
Mulraj, governor of Multan is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This small ivory miniature portrays Mul Raj, the governor of Multan, rendered as a captive figure in 1849.
About this work
Overview
This small ivory miniature portrays Mul Raj, the governor of Multan, rendered as a captive figure in 1849. The portrait is circular, focusing on a bearded man wearing an elaborate, multicolored turban and richly embroidered garments in vivid reds, yellows and greens. A plain, light background isolates the sitter, emphasizing his facial expression and attire.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures Mul Raj at a moment of defeat, reflecting his capture after the events that sparked the Second Anglo‑Sikh War. By presenting him as a prisoner, the image conveys both his political downfall and the broader colonial conflict that reshaped the Punjab region in the mid‑nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Executed with delicate brushwork on ivory, the miniature displays soft, blended strokes that give the fabrics a luminous quality. The artist rendered the turban and embroidered edges with fine detail, while the sitter’s slightly turned head introduces a subtle sense of movement within the otherwise static composition.
History & Provenance
The portrait entered the museum’s holdings in 1954 as a donation from the Central Council for the Care of Churches. Its precise origin and date remain undocumented, though it arrived among a group of Sikh portraits referenced by W. G. Archer, suggesting it was part of a larger collection of contemporary likenesses.
Artist & collection
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