The EIC's Forgotten Artist: Tilly Kettle and Company Painting

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the overlooked role of Western artists in the East India Company's empire. They focus on Tilly Kettle, the first British portrait painter to work in India, who arrived in Madras in 1769. Kettle painted Company officials, nawabs, and even the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, blending European oil painting with Mughal miniature traditions. The episode discusses the social world of Company painting, the challenges of shipping portraits back to England, and how these artworks served as tools of diplomacy and status. Luna asks about the cultural exchange involved, and they touch on later artists like Johann Zoffany. The conversation reveals how art documented and shaped the Company's presence in India, offering a visual record of a complex colonial encounter. Tilly Kettle's career in India ended in debt, but his paintings remain a window into the period. The episode ends with a reflection on how art can illuminate hidden layers of history. #TillyKettle #EastIndiaCompany #CompanyPainting #Madras #ShahAlamII #MughalEmpire #BritishIndia #PortraitPainting #JohannZoffany #ArtHistory #ColonialArt #OilPainting #MughalMiniature #18thCentury #IndiaArt #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo