An amateur artist, William Tayler was a civil servant who had arrived in India in 1829. Later, he became the Commissioner of Patna and documented various aspects of his life in the colonies through painted landscapes. In this painting he depicts the aftermath of the 1846 Battle of Sobraon, which was a decisive moment in the First Anglo-Sikh War. By this time, the Western tradition of history painting had lost its prestige but artists like Taylor found it useful for narrating the Empire's 'achievements' in the colonies. The inscription on the gate and the drama unfolding among the people could be imaginary recreations, but a companion chart published with the print helped viewers identify each one of the British and wealthy Indians depicted in it.
William Tayler
The Triumphal Reception of the Seikh Guns
Engraving, tinted with water colour on paper
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William Tayler
The Triumphal Reception of the Seikh Guns
Engraving, tinted with water colour on paper
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