The German-born artist Johan Zoffany arrived in England in 1760 and soon became court painter to King George III. In 1783 he travelled to India to paint the British stationed there, returning in 1789. This conversation piece of Colonel Blair with his family and an Indian ayah or maid dates from the middle of his stay, probably painted in Kanpur (Cawnpore) in 1786. In a scene of warmth and intimacy unusual in the work of Zoffany, Colonel Blair takes the hand and looks into the eyes of his wife, Jane. His eldest daughter is seated at the piano playing Handel sonatas, while his younger daughter feeds a cat held by the ayah. Hanging on the wall behind them are Indian landscape paintings. A rare and important Indian group portrait, this is only the second Indian work by Zoffany to enter the Collection.