Artwork
One of eleven paintings of occupations
One of eleven paintings of occupations is a gouache painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This gouache painting on mica belongs to a series of eleven works that depict various occupations.
About this work
Overview
This gouache painting on mica belongs to a series of eleven works that depict various occupations. Executed in southern or eastern India, the piece reflects a genre of miniature paintings that were collected by British travelers in the 19th century and shipped to England in considerable numbers.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a range of figures engaged in everyday work, offering a visual record of local labour practices. By portraying multiple trades side by side, the painting serves as a documentary glimpse into the social fabric and economic activities of the region at the time.
Technique & Style
The artist employed opaque gouache pigments on a thin sheet of mica, a naturally occurring mineral prized for its translucency and durability. The medium allows for vivid colour and fine detail, while the mica surface gives the work a subtle sheen that distinguishes it from paper or canvas supports.
History & Provenance
Mica paintings were produced in India for the British market, where their exotic material and portable size made them popular souvenirs. Many such works entered British collections during the colonial period, often as part of larger assortments of themed series that included deities, wildlife, architecture and festivals.
Context
These works belong to a broader tradition of Indian miniature painting that adapted to European tastes in the 1800s. The choice of occupational subjects aligns with the Victorian fascination for ethnographic documentation, presenting Indian life in a format that could be easily displayed in domestic settings.
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
One of nineteen drawings illustrating processes in the manufacture of opium at the Opium Factory at Gulzarbagh, Patna, in Bihar.
A palanquin with six carriers
A cloth-seller
One of eleven paintings depicting craftsmen and their shops.
A snake-charmer
Grain-sellers
One of twenty-eight paintings, fifteen depicting occupations, thirteen depicting deities.