A blacksmith and his assistant

One of thirty-six paintings of castes and occupations of South India showing a man and wife with the attributes of their trade. Inscribed on border at bottom in English, with name of caste or occupation: all the paintings were mounted in an album with a watermark, J. Ruse 1799, and a bookplate bearing the name of Joseph Whatley and the Latin motto 'Pelle Timorem' (banish fear).

All the paintings have a red border, a strip of tangled cloud at the top, heavy looped shadows attached to the feet, and a dark green ground. However, they appear to be by three different hands: one with strongly-drawn figures against a Yellow background, one with more detailed figures against a deep blue background, and a third with weaker figures against green and blue backgrounds.