Water-Carrier

The Water carrier, painted by Sewak Ram is a window into the soul of 19th century India. It blends history, culture and deep human emotion on a page. Historically The Water carrier marks a turning point for Indian artists. After the Mughal Empire declined and royal courts lost their wealth Indian artists had to look for work. Sewak Ram moved to the bustling trade hub of Patna, where officials of the British East India Company wanted art that showed life. This painting is a gentle view of a person who lived his whole life keeping others alive. In India, the water-carrier is also called the “Bhisti”, the water-bearer. Years before modern plumbing, the bhisti was the quiet beat of Indian towns and cities. Every day through hot summer days and heavy rains these water carriers walked for miles to bring life to homes, kitchens and dusty streets. They were very important. They did their hard work mostly without being noticed. Bhisti walked miles under the sun to deliver fresh water to homes for drinking, cooking and cooling dusty streets. Emotionally The Water carrier is incredibly moving. Sewak Ram did not paint a worker. Sewak Ram decided to look at this man. By removing any distracting background he makes us look directly into his eyes. We are asked to face the situation of his days: the deep lines on his worn face the small curve in his posture and the heavy weight of the wet leather bag (mashq) on his back. Of showing a cold clean study of a job Sewak Ram creates a painting full of quiet pride and deep strength. It is a kind touching tribute to the hidden workers who helped build everyday life—showing both the heavy tiredness, from his work and the lasting power of his soul. You can almost feel the crushing weight of the leather bag (mashq) slung over his shoulder. The painting becomes a touching tribute to the unseen working class heroes of the past. Today The Water carrier is preserved in the Ashmolean Museum, at the University of Oxford.