Couple in Conversation

Mid 19th Century

Company School, Tanjore

Size: 12.5 x 9 in (31.8 x 22.9 cm)
The arrival of the British in India brought in new thoughts and ideas in the world of painting. Local artists got exposure to several methods which were till then unknown in the Indian peninsula.

This beautifully painted miniature from the Company School portrays a well dressed couple standing opposite one another on a green lawn, fringed with tall and slender coconut trees and a line of shrubs. They are a newly married couple, expressing their love for each other.

The groom wears a long, full-sleeved white dress of a fine fabric, flared at the bottom and pleated. He also wears a black, embroidered half-sleeved coat over it and has an orange coloured angavastra with a gold border, tied around his waist to hold a dagger, with part of it going over his left shoulder. The groom has a rounded face with a bushy moustache and a kind look. His forehead is smeared with ash and he wears a typical Maratha headgear.

The bride is more richly dressed and heavily bejeweled. She wears a gold brocade blouse and a beautifully designed, multi-pleated orange coloured skirt. She wears multiple gold necklaces, ornate and large earrings, thick gold bangles, hair ornamentation and silver anklets.

The sky has been painted in a manner that is typical of the era. It is a combination of sky-blue and ash-gray. One can also see that the western tradition of showing the shadows has crept into this painting. The entire painting is vibrant, and the fusion of Indian and British elements also makes it a culturally interesting work.