Lot 229
FIVE PLATES FROM THE SERIES 'VIEWS OF CALCUTTA', BY THOMAS DANIELL RA (BRITISH 1749-1840)
CIRCA 1786-88
Auction: Lots 1 - 335 | 04 September at 10am
Description
hand-coloured aquatints, each cut down to the image and mounted on backing paper, including Plate 2 'The Old Court House and Writers' Buildings'; Plate 3 ‘Part of the Old Tank’; Plate 5 ‘The New Court House and Chandpal Ghaut’; Plate 6 ‘The Old Fort Ghaut’; and Plate 11 ‘The Old Government House’, all framed in matching ebonised and gilt frames; together with three loose Daniell plates from the series ‘Oriental Scenery: Twenty Four Views in Hindoostan’ including; Plate XIV ‘Ramnagar, Near Benares, On the River Ganges’, London 1796; Plate XVIII ‘The Taje Mahel, At Agra’, London 1796; Plate XXI ‘View in the Fort of Trichinopoly’, London 1798 (8)
Dimensions
55.5cm high, 67.5cm wide (including frames)
Provenance
Provenance: The Estate of the late Lynette F. H. Cole, Rutherford House, Town Yetholm, Scottish Borders
Footnote
Note: In 1784 Thomas Daniel obtained permission from the East India Company to travel to India to work as an engraver, assisted by his nephew William. The pair reached Calcutta in 1786 and soon began to issue the first topographical prints of the colonial capital. Twelve etched and aquatinted “Views of Calcutta” were completed by 1788, printed and hand-colored by Indian assistants. The images proved immensely popular in India and Europe, and helped to launch a vogue for Indian ornament and design in Britain.