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Lot 190
A young Nihang Singh impressing the British judge at a hearing on the Kirpan legislation Punjab, by the artist Amolak Singh, second half of the 20th Century
14 November 2023, 11:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£4,000 - £6,000
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A young Nihang Singh impressing the British judge at a hearing on the Kirpan legislation
Punjab, by the artist Amolak Singh, second half of the 20th Century
Punjab, by the artist Amolak Singh, second half of the 20th Century
oil on board, signed in gurmukhi script
46.3 x 61 cm.
46.3 x 61 cm.
Footnotes
In 1878, under British rule, the Indian Arms Act was passed stating that one could not bear arms without a license, which in effect stopped Sikhs wearing their religious article of faith, the kirpan. In 1922 the Kirpan Morch (Sword March) was initiated by Sikhs in an attempt to change the law. The scene depicts an episode when a young Sikh boy entered the law court, wearing his kirpan, approached the judge brandishing it, and chanted the Sikh jaikara. According to the story the judge was so impressed by the boy's courage that the way was paved for the law to be changed.
Amolak Singh (born 1950) was a well-known 20th century Punjabi artist, a student of S. Sobha Singh. He later started his own studio and his work was preoccupied with events from Sikh history. He created more than four hundred works, examples of which can be found at the Punjab & Sind Bank, Bank of Punjab, the Central Sikh Museum, Amritsar, Baba Baghel Singh Museum, Delhi, and Bhai Mati Das Museum, Chandani Chowk, Delhi.