Lot 92
THE RETAKING OF LUCKNOW FROM THE INDIAN REBELLION LED BY SIR COLIN CAMPBELL
INIDA, UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW, CIRCA 1857
Auction: 10 December 2025 from 14:00 GMT
Description
gouache on paper, black border, to the right depicting the Sutherland Highlanders, 93rd regiment of foot, dressed in their kilts with badger head sporrans and furry helmets, some in the background riding elephants, pushing back the Indian rebellion, Lucknow portrayed in the upper left hand corner with a flag up, verso with old letters dated to 1836 stuck down, the old-fashioned English writing mostly undeciphered, mounted, framed and glazed
Dimensions
30cm x 38.5cm
Provenance
Private Somerset collection.
Footnote
This historically important picture portrays Sir Colin Campbell’s relief and evacuation of Lucknow where the British Residency had been besieged from May to November 1857. The city was one of the major centres of the Indian rebellion and Independence movement in the North of India. This fascinating rendition was produced by a local Indian artist and commissioned by the entourage of Sir Colin Campbell, even possibly he himself.
The son of a Glasgow carpenter, Campbell first served his country during the first China War (1842) before later moving to India as a Brigadier-General in 1846. He gained distinction in the Second Sikh War (1848-49) and was wounded at the Battle of Chilianwala (1849). When the Indian Mutiny broke out the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston offered Campbell the position of Commander-in-chief of India replacing General George Anson, who had just died. Within this painting Campbell leads the 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot. The regiment is clearly identifiable through its ‘swinging six’ badger head sporran, red tartan socks, animal fur helmet and blue tartan kilt which was the regiments uniform since their first muster in 1800.
The importance of this victory is evident back in Britain where Queen Victoria personally wrote to Campbell to congratulate him on his victory.
“The Queen must Give utterance herself to the feelings of pride & satisfaction with which she has learnt of the glorious Victories which Sir Colin Campbell & the gallant & heroic Troops which he has under his command have obtained over the Mutineers! The manner in which Sir Colin has conducted all these Operations - & his rescue of the devoted Band of Heroes & Heroines at Lucknow...is beyond all praise!” (see Sotheby's: Collection of a Connoisseur: History in Manuscript, part 2. 13 - 27 April 2021, London).