Rare Paintings
 25 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
A depiction of Narasimha Avatar... from the book:
Truthful detailed description of the famous East India Coast Malabar and Coromandel, and the island of Ceylon.
By Philippus Baldaeus
Published by John Janssonius of Waesberge and Someren in Amsterdam - 1672 Read More
 25 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
A depiction of Varaha Avatar... from the book:
Truthful detailed description of the famous East India Coast Malabar and Coromandel, and the island of Ceylon.
By Philippus Baldaeus
Published by John Janssonius of Waesberge and Someren in Amsterdam - 1672 Read More
 25 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
A depiction of Kurma Avatar... from the book:
Truthful detailed description of the famous East India Coast Malabar and Coromandel, and the island of Ceylon.
By Philippus Baldaeus
Published by John Janssonius of Waesberge and Someren in Amsterdam - 1672 Read More
 24 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
View of Cochin, on the coast of Malabar - 1662

View of the city of Cochin, on the coast of Malabar. In view of the sea, a Dutch merchantman right, in the foreground a few rowboats. Top of place name Couchyn.

Artist: Johannes Vinckboons

Source: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Read More
 24 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
The Zamorin of Calicut, 1604

The Zamorin of Calicut, King of Malabar, standing before the palace of the king. The Dutch had on 8 November 1604 a meeting with the king. Part of the illustrations in the report of the second voyage to the East Indies for the VOC under Steven van der Hagen, 1603-160... Read More
 24 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
A Bishop and a teacher from the Malabar Coast, India. Watercolour drawing.

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 19 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Ancient excavations at Karli - 1809

This aquatint is taken from plate 14 of Henry Salt's 'Twenty Four Views in St. Helena, the Cape, India, Ceylon, the Red Sea, Abyssinia and Egypt', and shows the great Buddhist Chaitya (hall of worship) at Karli (Karle). Dating from some time between the seco... Read More
 19 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Exterior view of rock temple, Karli - 25 October 1804

Pencil drawing by Henry Salt (1780-1827), of the exterior of the rock temple at Karli in Maharashtra, dated 25th October 1804. This is probably a first sketch for 'Ancient Excavations at Carli', plate 14, of Henry Salt's 'Twenty Four Views ... Read More
 19 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Palace at Bundi - 1847

This is plate 16 from James Fergusson's 'Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan'. Built on a steep hillside of the Vindhya range, the town of Bundi was the capital of a Rajput state until it succumbed to the Mughals in 1658. In Fergusson's sketch, the street of the principal... Read More
 18 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Jaya Stambha, or Tower of Victory, at Chittaurgarh - 1847

This is plate 11 from James Fergusson's book 'Ancient Architecture in Hindostan'. This picture shows the Vijaya Stambha inside the fort at Chittaurgarh, Rajasthan. It was constructed in 1448 by Rana Kumbha to commemorate his victory ove... Read More
 18 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Bund of the Lake Rajasamundra, Oodeypore - 1847

This is plate 12 from James Fergusson's book, 'Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan'. Set in a valley and surrounded by lakes, Udaipur is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in India. The large artificial lake of Rajsamand was... Read More
 18 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Temple at Chandravati - 1847

This is plate 6 from James Fergusson's book 'Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan'. Chandravati is a small abandoned site near Jhalarapatan in Rajasthan. Ruined temples such as this were constructed as early as the 7th century. Many sculptures formerly at this site w... Read More
 16 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
The Sun Temple at Konarak - 1847

This is plate 3 from James Fergusson's 'Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan'. The sun temple at Konarak is one of the most famous of all India's temples, and considered a supreme achievement of Oriya architecture. Europeans in Fergusson's time knew it as the Black... Read More
 16 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Srirangam, near Madras, India: Water tank in the Temple. Coloured lithograph by Thomas Colman Dibdin after James Fergusson.
Published by J. Hogarth,London
Printed by M. & N. Hanhart - 1840

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 16 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Kanheri caves near Bombay - 1839

This is plate 17 from James Fergusson's 'Illustrations of the Rock Cut Temples of India'. The hills of Kanheri near Bombay host the largest Buddhist monastic site of western India. A number of these caves feature fine sculptures from the Vakataka period in the ... Read More
 15 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Gateway at Srirangam - 1847

This is plate 23 from James Fergusson's 'Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan'. Srirangam near Tiruchirapally is the site of one of the largest temple complexes in India. The gateway sketched by Fergusson is incomplete: the tower had not yet been added. It belongs to ... Read More
 13 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Nobleman smoking on a terrace
North India, c. 1670

A Mughal nobleman, possibly an officer serving with Aurangzeb’s armies in the Deccan, sits drinking from a porcelain wine-cup, while a youth in a flowered robe holds the hookah steady for him. Further youthful attendants stand at either side.... Read More
 13 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
The elephant Ganesh Gaj and rider
North India, 1660 - 1670

In this imposing portrait of Ganesh Gaj, the painter exaggerates his size to emphasise his grandeur. The rider is a prince in a floral robe, possibly a son of the emperor Aurangzeb. With its distant hilly landscape and a passing camel... Read More
 13 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Wash drawing of a tomb at Rauza by an anonymous artist, dated 23rd September (probably 1849). This is one of 83 drawings (78 folios) mainly of landscapes and antiquities in the northem Deccan, made during a tour chiefly to Ellora, Rauza, Daulatabad, Aurangabad and Ajanta between September and Nov... Read More
 13 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
Tombs at Khuldabad - 1830

Pen and ink and wash drawing of tombs at Khuldabad by Francis Gresley (1807-1880), c.1830s. Inscribed on the drawing is: 'Durgah of Zurzuree Zurbuksh at Rozah'. On the reverse is a pencil drawing of a church, possibly Goa.

Khuldabad, meaning ‘Heavenly Abode’, is an... Read More
 12 Mar 2013 Rare Paintings
View of Rauza from cave temple of Jagannath Sabha, Cave 33, Ellora - 1849

Wash drawing of Rauza from the cave temple of Jagannath Sabha by an anonymous artist in 1849. This is one of 83 drawings (78 folios) mainly of landscapes and antiquities in the northem Deccan, made during a tour chiefly ... Read More