Who painted Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat?

Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat was painted by Unknown in 1820.

Where can I see Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat?

Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat?

Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat is associated with Patna School of Painting.

Artwork

Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat

Unknown , 1820

Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1820 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The work is an opaque watercolor on paper portraying Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat, a Rathor Rajput, astride a brown horse. He is accompanied by three attendants, all dressed in white garments and turbans. The composition is framed by a yellow ground and a red border, emphasizing the rider’s dramatic pose.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, Thakur Kusal Singhji, is depicted in traditional white attire with a tall turban and a red‑yellow sash, holding a sword in his right hand and the reins in his left. The attendants, bearing a broom, a stick and a bundle, suggest a ceremonial or processional context, underscoring the status and martial identity of the Rajput noble.

Technique & Style

Executed in opaque watercolor, the painting employs a limited palette of whites, reds, yellows and browns. The brushwork renders the horse’s black mane and tail, as well as the decorative red‑yellow bridle and blanket, while the flat yellow background and bold red border contribute to a romantic, narrative quality.

History & Provenance

The piece entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection after being purchased by the antiquarian firm Maggs Bros. in 1954 for £150. It was recorded under accession numbers IS. 90 to 128‑1954, indicating its entry into the museum’s archives that year.

Context

Thakur Kusal Singhji Champawat belonged to the Rathor clan of Rajputs, a warrior community historically associated with the region of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Portraits of such figures often served to commemorate lineage, martial prowess, and social rank within the princely hierarchies of 19th‑century India.