Colonel Mackenzie and his Pandits, Thomas Hickey, 1816

In 1816, Thomas Hickey painted “Colonel Mackenzie and his Pandits.” Styllistically this painting is innovative in many ways. This painting is before Manet and therefore before impressionism, and it is easy to see that this painting has a certain unfinished element. This is the predecessor to impressionism, because it has an incomplete look, but the brush strokes are not as thick and hastily drawn as Impressionist art(Thomas Hickey painter). Thomas Hickey also uses bright colors to show the importance of the British compared to the Indians who are dressed shabbily and in a dull white. This painting offers many new techniques as well as the use of color to signify importance. (Thomas Hickey painter)

This painting also describes many aspects of colonialism in India, during the 18th and 19th centuries. For example, the British colonel is the focal point of the painting. It shows this British man in power, controlling these poor Indians. While the effects of colonialism are portrayed without any of the negative effects, the British colonel is surrounded, and has to project his power to be in control of the Indians. He is also dressed in bright colors, to exemplify his technological superiority. It also depicts racism, as the Indians look more frail, their clothing is also dirty and unkempt. Also one man has his hand on the shoulder of the colonel as if asking how he can help. His leaning on the colonel may also signify India’s dependence on the British. This painting displays the insignificance and dependency of the Indian people in the eyes of the British (Duiker, William J. and Jackson J. Spielvogel, 582-85).

By the mid-1800s the British destroyed the Mughal Empire from its former glory. They also brought with them textile mills. This severely hurt the local textile industry. It left many woman without jobs . This brought hardship to many people. The British also took over privately owned farmland from Indian peasants. They forced the peasants to pay a very high tax or become tenants and lose their land completely. They also turned all of these crops into cotton, leading to famine in India. The arrival of the British also affected India psychologically. It hurt the pride of many high ranking caste members who were used to a superior status in India. The British also tried to control the culture of the Indian people by making them dress as westerners and eat western food. Above all the British did not allow India to develop its own government and industry. And this picture wonderfully represents British control of India (Duiker, William J. and Jackson J. Spielvogel, 582-85).

"Thomas Hickey (painter)." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 10 May 2011. .

Duiker, William J., and Jackson J. Spielvogel. World history . 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2007. Print.