A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c15.s4.7

c15.s4.7

The oldest picture is that of the string of seven camels laden with tents and other baggage, which probably dates from the eighteenth century, and is good. In my judgement the best of the set is the black-and-white drawing of five Kāngrā goldsmiths or *sunārs* at work, two of whom are shown using the primitive blowpipe commonly employed in Eastern lands. Dr. Coomaraswamy praises this work as ‘full of close observation and curiously modern in effect’. The first clause of the criticism is just, but the second has not much force, as the drawing does not seem to be very old (Fig. 222).¹ The realistic portraits of the snake-charmer (Fig. 223) and the Jogī (Fig. 224) also are excellent. Both are the work of Kapūr Singh, an artist resident at Amritsar, outside the Kāngrā District. They are said to be only about thirty years old, and thus afford proof that until a very recent time artistic skill of considerable excellence still existed. Mr. Wathen informs me that the paintings now executed are of very poor quality. Presumably, if adequate patronage were available, the indigenous capacity could be stimulated and work equal to the old produced. Dr. Coomaraswamy mentions ‘a mauve iris, drawn with a faithfulness and grace which recall a Ruskin flower or leaf study'¹; and Mr. C. H. Read's fine collection includes a replica of the subject, also capitally executed, which may be assigned to the Kāngrā school. I do not know of any other example of the school in European collections.²