India – A fine watercolour depiction of an Old Sikh Warrior complete with Urdu heading. Stylistically this is similar to an image in one of the earliest books depicting Sikhs by Solvyns, Balthazar –&nbspa collection of two hundred and fifty coloured etchings descriptive of the manners, customs, character, dress, and religious ceremonies of the Hindoos. (Calcutta, 1799). This work attracted the attention of the eminent orientalist Sir William Jones, and it was with his enthusiastic support that Solvyns reworked and vastly improved the plates and&nbspprepared an enlarged text. This reworking and rewriting took years to complete and it was not until 1808 that the first part was published. Over the next four years it was issued in 48 parts with a total of 288 colour-printed plates. The work was an influential model for the Company School of Indian artists during the 19th century who produced suites of drawings of occupations for the British serving in India. Size 18cm by 22cm.