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Raja Jivan Ram
(fl. 1827-1850)
Portrait of William Munro
(1818-1880) 51cm x 40cm
Oil on Canvas Circa 1844
William
Munro entered the 39th Regiment of Foot in 1834 and was
later Adjutant at the Battle of Maharajpoor in 1843. He
has not been portrayed with the Maharajpoor star on his
left breast. It is possible that he had not been presented
with the medal when this portrait was completed. He with
his Regiment spent much time in India. Later he served
in the siege of Sebastopol and in the Caribbean. He was
also a well regarded botanist, was considered an authority
on grasses and a published author in this field. Kew Gardens
still holds many of his papers. This portrait shows Munro
resting his left hand on his sword. He carries his Shako,
this is the Albert pattern Shako which came into use in
1844 and was in use for 11 years. The white tufted ball
on the shako was in use for 2 years from 1844 to 1846
when it became white and red. The 39th were in India in
1844 and had been in India for some years. The battalion
returned to England in 1847 As Munro’s shako decoration
is the white ball which discontinued in 1846, this portrait
was certainly painted in India, and is a prime example
of Jivan Ram’s work. The
39th Regiment of Foot was formed in 1702 and was the
first regiment to serve in India, hence the motto: Primus
in Indus. In 1881 the 39th Foot became the 1st Battalion
of the Dorset Regiment
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