Tippoo Saib's Two Sons Needlework
Tippoo Saib's Two Sons Needlework
The full title of this needlework is 'Tippoo Saib's Two Sons delivered to Lord Cornwallis' with 'As Hostages after he had so gloriously Conquered that proud Sultan at Seringapatam the Capital of the Mysore Country in the East Indies 1798' by way of explanation below.
The scene shows Tippoo's sons handed over to Cornwallis with army tents to the back. The needlework is taken from a mezzotint published at the time which capitalised on the interest in the fall of Tippoo, known as the Tiger of Mysore.
Tippoo had been a legendary thorn in the side of the British and his fall was an event that captured the public's imagination. It also served to restore Cornwallis' reputation which had been so badly damaged in America. Tippoo's sons were held as hostages in luxury at Fort Vellore to stop any further rising against the British. Worked in wools, silks and felts with the faces and hands painted in watercolour.
A rare piece depicting an important event of British history in India. Circa 1800.
Dimensions:
Circa 1800
Needlework
England
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