Robert Home’s oil painting of Lord Cornwallis, Governor General of India, receiving the Mysore hostages in 1792 reflects a new British zeitgeist in India and Cornwallis as generous and civilised, dispensing justice with mercy to his adversary. Very different to his predecessors.

(Read our story about the Tiger of Mysore and how taking hostage the children of his opponent was considered benevolent!)

Robert Home cleverly captures both the renewed British sentiment of benevolence and also that of conquest. A prolific, skilled artist he spent the last four decades of his life in India and travelled with Cornwallis’ army in the 3rd Mysore war, hence being on-the-spot for this key moment.

We’ve used this bold picture on our equally bold First Estate Assam Caddy in our Signature range.