Surjan Singh and his son Trilok Singh

The two men shown seated in this painting are identified in an inscription on the reverse, but little is known about them. While Maharaja Ranjit Singh (ruled 1801–1839) unified small Sikh states into a major empire, his kingdom again splintered into smaller polities after his death. Surjan Singh’s emblems of royalty (a halo, turban ornament, weapons, and a fly-whisk-bearing attendant) suggest he may be the ruler of an independent successor state, seen here with his son and heir (on the right).

Courtly portraits such as this one showing politically important individuals were produced in many regions across north India from the 1700s onwards. The sitters’ sociopolitical positions and relative hierarchies were communicated through various artistic means: their placement in the painting’s composition, the surrounding architecture and setting, clothing, accoutrements (including jewelry, weapons, carpets, and cushions), poses (whether seated or standing), and presence of attendants.