English: A Sikh in a landscape: watercolour etching from 'A Collection of Two Hundred and Fifty Coloured Etchings Descriptive of the Manners, Customs and Dress of the Hindoos' by François Balthazar Solvyns, Calcutta, 1799. Inscribed with the caption: "A SIC."

Image source: [1]

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Source description:

"Francois Balthazar Solvyns (1760-1824). A Sikh in a landscape: from A Collection of Two Hundred and Fifty Coloured Etchings Descriptive of the Manners, Customs and Dress of the Hindoos, Calcutta 1799, hand-coloured etching on paper, labelled Section 1st, no. 9, and with the title A Sic on separate slips, unframed, 440 x 315 mm."

Footnotes:

"The figure depicted displays some of the symbols of membership in the Khalsa (the 'order of the Pure'), founded in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh: namely uncut hair, a steel bracelet, and short breeches. (The comb in the hair and the short sword are concealed in this image). The dark blue colour of the cloak may indicate the figure's being of the zealous Nihang sect."

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Description(s) from original publication by artist (taken from: [2]):

Calcutta: Section I, Number 9. A Sic in his family dress--the back ground represents them armed as Soldiers.

The History and origin of this curious Tribe, are to be met with in Hadgee Mustafah's Translate of Golaum Housain Khaun's Seir Mutaquirean;12 and an account of them by Mr. Wilkins, is inserted in lst Volume of the Transactions of the Asiatic Society.

Paris: Vol. I, Section 8, Number 5: SICS, A HINDOO TRIBE.

These Hindoos form also a people with independent laws and customs. There are persons who hesitate to rank them among the Hindoos. But it is certain that their tribe was founded by Nanuck-Shah [Guru Nanak], a descendant of Timur's, who through expiations and money was allowed to become a Hindoo. The first volume of the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta may be consulted upon this subject.

The Sics never quit their families but for military service. They are brave, and acquit themselves well in battle; but all their force is in their first charge: if that is resisted, their defeat soon follows.

It is worthy of observation, that among them a family goes into mourning on the birth of a child, and rejoices and puts on white clothes when death carries off one of its members. This custom, which has been remarked among other nations, proceeds from an opinion perhaps too well founded, that this world is a vale of tears and misery, from which it is always a happiness to be delivered.

The Sic who forms the principal figure in this engraving, is in his ordinary costume, which is black, or oftener very dark blue. The back ground of the plate gives a view of the mountainous country which these Hindoos inhabit, with a group of their warriors near a tent, which is their ordinary abode.