This artwork depicts a well at dusk in the Punjab. Quiet, rural, still. The weight of what these wells witnessed in 1947 is carried in the silence of the image.
During the Partition of India, as approximately fourteen million people fled across the new borders between India and Pakistan, women and girls across Punjab were killed by their own families at wells and in homes, to prevent them from being captured and dishonoured by the other side. The wells became sites of mass death. Families made impossible choices in the chaos of a displacement organised too quickly, too carelessly, by administrators who knew what was coming and left anyway.
This is a story that belongs to British Pakistanis and British Indians in equal measure. It is a story about what the end of empire actually looked like on the ground. The well is not peaceful. It just looks that way.
Every artwork in the Riwayah collection is available in four premium display formats, crafted to suit every home and interior style. Our canvas prints offer a rich, textured finish that brings depth and character to each piece, stretched on FSC-certified wooden bars for a refined gallery feel. For a minimalist and versatile look, our magnetic hangers use durable pine wood to hold your print securely without marking it, making it easy to change artwork whenever you like. Those seeking a classic, museum-style presentation can choose our premium wooden frames, crafted from responsibly sourced oak or ash with visible natural grain and protected with shatterproof plexiglass. And for a sleek, contemporary finish, our aluminium frames pair clean black metal with heavyweight matte paper for a polished, modern aesthetic. All prints use FSC-certified paper and high-quality inks, arrive ready to hang or assemble, and are produced on demand in the UK to reduce waste and ensure the highest standard of craftsmanship.
