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| The Battle of Polylore in 1780 |
A painting depicting the significant victory of Indian rulers in the 1780invade over British East India Company troops is up for auction in London.
The auction for the painting will begin on Wednesday at Sotheby's, the leading auction house. The initial bid will be 70 370,000, or about 85 485,000.
This painting depicts Sultan Haider Ali of the Mysore Empire and his son Tipu Sultan defeating East India Company forces at the famous Battle of Polylore.
Tipu Sultan is commonly known as the 'Lion of Mysore'. He remained a staunch opponent of the East India Company until his death in a battle in 1799.
Leading British historian William Dillermple described the painting depicting the Battle of Polylore as "the greatest Indian portrait of a surviving colonial defeat in India".
William Dillermple, in his book The Anarchy, tells the story of the rise of the East India Company in the eighteenth century. He described the invade as a "severe defeat" which he described as "almost the end of British rule in India".
Tipu was commanded for the first time in Polylore and he "turned the tide against the British."
Tipu himself was the first to order the presentation of battle scenes in 1784. These scenes were first painted on the walls and ceilings of his palace 'Darya Daulat Bagh' in Sriranga Putnam, the capital of Mysore.
Some of these scenes were painted on paper at least twice using ink and watercolor paints.
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| These carvings were made on the door and wall of Tipu Sultan's palace in Mysore |
One of the paintings was sold at auction in 2010 and was acquired by the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar. The painting was brought to England by Col. John William Freeze, who was in Sriranga Putnam after Tipu's defeat. This image has been passed down from generation to generation in his family. But in 1978, it was sold to a private collector of antiquities, who put it up for auction in 2010.
The origin of the second painting that Sotheby's is now auctioning is not clear. Given its resemblance to a painting obtained by John William Freeze, it is assumed that it too was brought to England by a British officer.
Sotheby's Benedict Carter told the BBC the painting was first put up for auction in the early 1980s. "But we don't know what happened to him 100 years ago." He said that before that it was only briefly shown in 1990 and 1999 and was in "remarkably good condition".
This painting clearly shows the events that took place on the morning of September 7, 1780 and the celebration and anguish of this invade.
Tipu ambushed the forces of the company led by Colonel William Bailey and attacked near a village called Polivar. This place was not far from Madras (now Chennai). Madras was then a major trading post of the British Company. Mr Dillermple said that by the time Haider Ali arrived with the help, "the work was pretty much done."
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| Tipu Sultan is seen commanding his troops on elephants |
The 32-foot-long painting is spread over 10 sheets of paper. They show Tipu leading his troops on an elephant. At the other end of the painting, his cavalry is attacking the company's forces from both sides, while the wounded Bailey is riding in a palanquin and his soldiers are encircling him. The painting also shows an explosive-laden car exploding, and there was a moment in the invade.
Mr Dalermple wrote in an auction article about the painting that Bailey's younger brother, John, had said of it: Then, thanks to him, his cavalry established its lead and then the elephants attacked which completed our defeat.
"It's a wonderful masterpiece, it's unparalleled," said Mr. Delerimple.
He believes that despite the great defeat, these paintings were made by British officers like Colonel Frazier. These were just as amazing, if not more, on the walls of Sriranga Patam's palace.
Another theory is that the two paintings were made at the behest of the company as a preparation drawing for the restoration of the entrance and wall of the palace at Sriranga Putnam. It was ordered by Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington.
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| Tipu Sultan's cavalry is attacking the guards guarding Colonel Bailey |
Mr Delerimpel said Tipu had ordered the painted walls painted white after his subsequent defeat in the invade against the company because the paintings were "incredibly bloody" and that painting on them might be Tipu's fault. Was a sign of peace.
According to Mr Dillermple, despite the defeat, Tipu was respected by the British for his military prowess and for "the way he fought and died in the invade."
So perhaps it is not surprising to historians that the British chose to retain the evidence despite the defeat at the Battle of Polylore.
Mr Dillermple says the importance of painting stems from the importance of invade. The British were the most feared of Tipu and he was the only Indian ruler of that time who never allied with the British.
By the middle of the 18th century, the company had gained ground on the battlefield in India thanks to military inventions in Europe. But Mr. Delerimple says Tipu was able to defeat him in 1780, as evidenced by his victory at Polylore.
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| The painting also depicts the deaths of East India Company soldiers |
According to him, in the Battle of Polylore, Tipu's army had better guns, better artillery, and his cavalry magazine had new inventions and was better prepared strategically. They were able to fire rockets from their camels, for example, and this was a technique that later led the British to invent their own rocket system.
But despite Tipu's persistent resistance against the British, no lasting alliance could be formed between the Indian empires emerging from the Mughal Empire.
However, Tipu's legacy as a Muslim king is now being re-examined in a growing Hindu nationalist India. The Battle of Polylore, however, is reminiscent of the obstacle Tipu put in the way of British conquest.
Even when he was killed, the conquerors took his campaign tent back to Britain, which is still there today as a trophy for defeating the Lion Mysore.
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