The 23in x 2ft 10in (58.5 x 86cm) work, in its original frame, was catalogued as ‘after Mather Brown (UK/MA 1761 and after to 1831)’.
It depicts a scene from the third Anglo-Mysore War showing Lord Cornwallis receiving as hostages the two sons of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, as part of the peace agreement ending this conflict between the East India Company and the Kingdom of Mysore in 1792.
The painting has a lengthy integral caption reading: To the Honorable, The East India Company, This Plate representing the Delivery of the Definitive Treaty by the Hostage Princes into the hands of Lord Cornwallis, Is with Permission humbly Dedicated by their faithful and obedient Serv.t Mather Brown.
The painting was estimated at $6000-8000 at the auction on July 18-19 but was the object of a battle between two online bidders and ended up selling for $70,000 (£53,845).
