This painting is titled The Revolt of Dewan Velu Thambi, 1808-1809. It is painted by M. R. Acharekar (1907-1979) using watercolours and tempera on paper. The painting is one of the 52 works M. R. Acharekar was commissioned for on the commemorative occasion celebrating the completion of the first hundred years of the freedom movement (1757-1856). The artist describes the painting with a subtitle which reads-Big Military came from Madras, defeated Velu Thambi who fled to the forest. Acharekar includes a vast landscape in the composition which somehow resonates with the enormity of the approaching army. This painting is signed and dated 'M. R. acharekar, 1973' in English along the bottom margin of the painting with brush. This is now exhibited in the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.
- Identifier
- ngma-03653
- Material
- Watercolour, Tempera, Paper
- Note
- Velu Thampi Dalawa rose to the post of the prime minister of Travancore amidst much court intrigues and was constantly involved in the politics of the state with both the Raja and the British Company's Resident, Macauly. He successfully quelled the stringent taxation policy of the Raja of Travancore with his rebellion and acquired the position of Prime Minister. He was forced to rebel against the British Resident, Macaulay as he did not want to pay additional taxes from an impoverished treasury and also as a direct fall out with Macaulay, who constantly interfered in the affairs of the Thiruvithamkur. The Resident was not satisfied with Velu Thampi Dalawa relinquishing his administrative position alone but left no opportunity to humiliate him which resulted in the revolt. The rebellion arose under the leadership of Velu Thampi Dalawawhen the British tried to capture the state of Travancore. The revolt lasted for a year and finally the army of Devan Velu Thambi was defeated in 1809 in Cochin. Partha Mitter in his book 'The Triumph of Modernism: India's Artists and the Avant-garde, 1922-47' writes, "Acharekar specialized in a loose impressionist style with heavy impasto colours, quick brush strokes and loose application of paint, to build up a sketch-like rough surface with speckled light distributed over the whole painted surface." Acharekar in this impressionistic style that Partha Mitter speaks of created the 52 set of paintings that are infused with the rebellion and the hostilities of wars organised by the untrained tribal folks and the civilians against the private army of East India Company. The resentment against foreign rule and the atrocities at the hand of the Company had stirred a political turmoil which resulted in uprising in different parts of the country. The patriotic emotions and the struggle of the natives is well encapsulated in the paintings specially executed by the artist. Velu Thampi Dalawa rose to the post of the prime minister of Travancore amidst much court intrigues and was constantly involved in the politics of the state with both the Raja and the British Company's Resident, Macauly.
- Pages
- 50.6 x 40.5 cm
- Published in
- India
- Type
- Painting
