Dugler, from Indian Trades and Castes

Art Historical Context

"Dugler, from Indian Trades and Castes" is a 19th-century watercolor and gouache painting by an anonymous Indian artist, created around 1840. Part of a renowned series documenting the diverse trades and castes of Indian society, this work depicts the "Duglerlikely a practitioner of a traditional occupation involving community roles, as suggested by its inclusion among ethnographic portraits. Rendered on a modest sheet measuring 14 3/8 x 10 3/8 inches, it captures everyday figures including men, women, children, and animals, offering a vivid snapshot of colonial-era India. These paintings emer...

About the Artist

Anonymous, Indian, 19th century · 1800–1900

**Anonymous, Indian, 19th Century (ca. 1800–1900)** The artist cataloged as Anonymous, Indian, 19th century represents one of countless skilled Indian painters whose identities remain elusive in historical records, active during a transformative era under British colonial influence. Working roughly between 1800 and 1900, this anonymous figure exemplifies the legion of indigenous artists who adapt...