Circle of Francesco Renaldi (British, 1755-1798)
Two noblewomen, perhaps of Lucknow, seated together on a pillared terrace, North India, circa 1792-95
oil on canvas
43.9 x 33.8 cm.
Footnotes:
Renaldi, though of Italian parentage, was almost certainly born in London, and after developing his career there, and travelling to Italy, went to India in 1786, where he remained until 1796. His move was perhaps due to his lack of commercial success in England - he applied to the East India Company to travel to Bengal as a portrait painter.

He soon acquired British patrons in Calcutta, where he worked until 1788, producing individual portraits and conversation pieces, with both solely British sitters, Indian women, and sometimes the two in one painting. He travelled elsewhere in Bengal, notably Dacca and Murshidabad, and later further upriver. He arrived in Lucknow in 1792 or 1793 (perhaps inspired by the earlier success there of Zoffany, Charles Smith and Ozias Humphry). He returned to Calcutta some time in 1795.

For a good illustrated survey of Renaldi's career in both England and India, see M. Archer, India and British Portraiture 1770-1825, London 1979, pp. 280-297.