Context
A rare 19th century painting of Raja Serfoji and his son Sivaji, which was stolen from Saraswathi Mahal, Thanjavur, a few years ago has been traced by Idol Wing CID police to the Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts, USA.
- The painting was purchased in 2006 from an international antique dealer who was arrested by the State police in 2011 on charges of smuggling several antiques/artefacts.
Background of the painting
- For a long time, the rulers of Thanjavur had been devoid of absolute power.
- Serfoji, placed by the British on the throne over his step brother Amar Singh, died in 1832.
- His only son Sivaji ruled until 1855.
- However, he had no male successor.
- Thanjavur became a casualty of Lord Dalhousie's infamous 'Doctrine of Lapse', and it got absorbed into British-ruled Indian provinces.
- The painting, which has Raja Serfoji and his youthful son, according to some historians, was probably painted between 1822 and 1827 and kept in the Saraswathi Mahal.
- In 1918, the Saraswathi Mahal Library was opened to the public.
- Efforts were made to microfilm and catalogue the contents in 1965 when Indira Gandhi, who was the Information and Broadcasting Minister, sanctioned the fund for the library's development.
- Despite this, there exists no record to show the disappearance of the painting from the mahal.
