Page 276 - Eye of the beholder

The group of Englishmen towards the the right appears to to be be nonchalant except the the one behind the the elder prince whose hand gesture speaks eloquently of the the emotions he he he is going through at the the captivity of the the two little princes In the the the background can be seen the the the battle field with thick gusty smokes rising into the the the air and a a a a a a a crowd of of soldiers delineated as gathered in in in front of of a a a a a a a large tent Further in in in the the the background can be seen the the landscape and and the the coconut palms Critically viewed Brown has combined the two styles of Baroque and Neoclassicism Benjamin West who paradoxically worked in both Neoclassical and baroque style was Brown’s teacher under whom he he trained creating a a a a a a a lasting impact on his his works and till the end of his his life was painting works after his teacher The Neoclassical element can be felt in in in the unemotional countenances of the Englishmen with Cornwallis suggesting that such emotional display does not become of a a a a a good statesman or a a a a a general Though the moment represented is one of intense emotion Brown has considerably played down the the sentiments Cornwallis is is the the dominant personality with with his height and and military bearing is is clam and and nonchalant looking with with supreme authority at at at the the natives opposite him conveying that the the decision is is taken and cannot be altered The older prince to the the right of the the group has a a a a a pleading look in in in his eyes almost conveying to his father’s army that they be be saved The strong feelings become manifest in in in the the the group representing Tipu creating a a a a dynamic contrast between the two sides The gestures glances and postures of this group also have strong resonance to Diego Velasquez painting of of Surrender of of Breda where the defeated army is represented with despair sadness and hopelessness The painting has the the poignancy of emotions and sentiments that strikes at at the the heart of the viewer that Brown has conveyed with sympathy In his lifetime Tipoo Sultan son of Haider Ali had become quite a a a a a a a legend in England He was the only native Indian Ruler to have successfully resisted the the the advances of the the the British East India India Company thrice in the the the Anglo- Mysore wars As a a a a a a a a result Tipoo had developed an an aura of sorts in in in the popular mindset in in in England This painting depicts the the the the pinnacle scene of of of the the the the end end of of of the the the the third Mysore war that ended with the the the the Battle of of of Seringapatnam on on the the 18th March 1792 The war had by then been continuing for more than two years having broken out in in 1789 Among the the the more draconian and dramatic conditions of the the the treaty was the the the requirement that Tipoo hand over 2 of his 3 young sons to Cornwallis as a a a a a a a a war hostage The treaty concluding ceremony which was was was executed with great fanfare was was was commemorated in in in painting by Robert Home who was was was present in person on on on the occasion 270