Company Period

Of Zayn-ul-din, “an artist of Patna,”

Little is known except that he painted

Around 1780 a few Indian subjects

For Lady Impey.

Trained in the Mughal workshops,

He adapted himself to the needs

Of the period: English paper and watercolour

Technique. Lady Impey’s interest

In native artists was partly “scientific,”

So when she left for home she possessed

A portrait of herself in her Bengal

Drawing-room, and a complete set

Of the flora and fauna as well.

Zayn-ul-din’s cheetah was in it.

The cheetah is shown in profile. Hind legs

Curved, a triple band on the tail, small

Overlapping spots on the neck. A fresh pug mark

In the bottom left corner, Zayn-ul-din’s signature.