Colonel Colin MacKenzie
by HICKEY, Thomas, Oil on canvas, 59 x 38 cm
Colonel Colin Mackenzie (1754-1821) was Surveyor General of India, and an art collector and orientalist. He produced many of the first accurate maps of India, and his research and collections contributed significantly to the field of Asian studies.
In the background of the portrait, in the distance is the colossal Jain statue of Gomateswara at Karkala in Mysore.
Although Thomas Hickey was born and brought up in Ireland, he is best known for his work outside his native country. In particular he is remembered for his work in India, notably Madras and Calcutta, between the years 1784 to 1791 and 1779 to 1824.