Lt-Col. Risaldar Jagat Singh and Risaidar Man SinghFilip Aleksy De László · 1916

Identification of the Portrait and Its Subjects

The oil on board painting titled Lt-Col. Risaldar Jagat Singh and Risaidar Man Singh was executed by the artist Philip de László in 1916. This work depicts two Sikh cavalry officers serving within the British Indian Army. The subjects are identified as Jagat Singh of the 12th Cavalry and Man Singh of the 21st Cavalry. The portrait captures the two men in a single sitting that lasted approximately two to three hours.

The sitting took place in London in May 1916. At the time of the portrait, the soldiers were positioned in the United Kingdom, two months before their deployment to the Battle of the Somme in France. Philip de László likely created this double portrait for his own personal collection. The work remained in the artist's studio until his death in 1937.

Visual Composition and Physical Details

This oil on board portrait measures 90.2 x 69.9 cm (35 ½ x 27 ½ in). The composition features two men positioned side by side, presented from the chest up. Both subjects wear turbans and military uniforms. One man possesses a mustache, while the other does not. Their hair is long, visible beneath the head cloths of their turbans.

The figures are rendered with attention to the textures of their attire and the specific folds of their headgear. The lighting defines the contours of their faces and the structure of their uniforms. In the lower right corner, the work contains the inscription: P. A. de László / 1916. May 1.

Provenance and History of the Object

The history of this oil on board begins in the artist's London studio, where it remained until his death in 1937. Following the artist's passing, the work was held by his estate and passed by descent to Patrick de László. This lineage connects the portrait directly to the artist's immediate family and personal collection.

The painting later entered a private collection in the United Kingdom, which was acquired about 1975. The work has been valued at £650,000. It remains a significant piece of the artist's recorded output, having been kept in his studio for several decades before entering the private market.

Historical Context and Significance

This portrait depicts two Sikh cavalry officers of the British Indian Army’s Expeditionary Force. Jagat Singh and Man Singh held the rank of Risaldar, a position roughly equivalent to a captain in the British Army. These men sat for the artist in London in May 1916, approximately two months before they were deployed to France to fight in the trenches. Their service included participation in the Battle of the Somme.

The work is an exceptionally rare depiction of active Indian participants in the First World War. While much portraiture from this period focuses on high-ranking generals or monarchs, this painting captures middle-ranking soldiers. It provides a specific visual record of the multinational forces that sustained the conflict. The subjects are shown in their military uniforms and turbans, documenting the appearance of these officers during a period of global mobilization.