| Europeans
have been fascinated and intrigued by the Orient from earliest antiquity.
Historical changes in distant western parts of the globe obtrusively
involved Asian countries in their concerns. An unwelcome curiosity about
eastern law and custom, society and government exposed these hitherto
secluded areas to the western gaze. The age-old mysteries that had
surrounded them crumbled.
The first western visitations to the Orient
were prompted by mundane commercial pursuits, and they paved the way for a
fundamentally different form of European entry to these shores. Gradually,
the enormous repositories of culture and history stimulated the curiosity
of scholars. Artists, philosophers and classicists delved energetically
and fruitfully into Asian art, religion and literature.
Among them, the artist has always occupied
a distinctive place of honor. It fell to him to interpret the intricate
sensibilities that underlay the wealth and variety forms and communicate
their essence to an incredulous audience in the west. There is a rich
profusion of monuments and other artifacts that bear witness to the
sophisticated artistry of the people of the east.
1.Views of Himalayan Mountain (1820) by
Fraser,J.B.-Himalayas since time immemorial have been the source and
inspiration to Art, architecture and cultural of South East Asia. Pilgrims
from length and breadth of Country traverse thousands of km to seek
salvation. Over the year, interference with the eco-system, deforestation
etc. and the foreign intrusions have changed the over all character of the
valley of Gods.
The paintings drawn by J.B.Fraser in 1820
and engraved in this rare book by Robt Havell and Son present the
picturesque spots of the Himalayan region. The artist has captured the
landscape in its true colours and in every frame, regional architecture is
highlighted thereby allowing lot of scope to have a deeper probe in the
Himalayan cultural tracts. The Yamuna and Ganga river valleys and its
small tributaries along with the small shrines and hamlets add to the
spiritual dimension of this beautiful album.2 Views in the Mysore country
(1794) by Captain A. Allen-. The twelve page description in the book is
followed by the twenty drawings on handmade paper in monochrome by Captain
A Allen and engraved by J.Wells. the illustrations are centered around the
forts which were captured by the British Troops in the year 1790-92 under
hentenant general Earl Cornwallis. The forts, acted as a garrison of arms
and ammunition and provisions and during the war time were put into state
of defense. The forts were important for strength and situation. The
author has given the descriptive account of seizure of number of forts
from Tipu Sultan.
The first illustration is
of the Mausoleum at Colar, which was a burial place of the ancestors of
Hyder Ali Khan followed by the illustrations of forts captured by British
Troops. Plate 19 represents the Mausoleum of Hyder Ali Khan and Plate 19
depicts the procession of Tipu’s sons coming out as hostages.
The forts which are center
agate of illustrations supplemented by text the landscape, flaura fauna
and the marching troops depicted in the drawings place the enclosure wall
in the state of alert and defence there by bringing out the romance of
war.
3. EC Sturt Baker’s Indian Pigeons and
Doves (1913) deals with the most beautiful birds from the point of view of
the sportsman and field naturalists as well as from the scientific or
museum naturalists. This work was for the first time introduced to India
in the trinomial system that is so say, the system, which recognizes
subspecies. It attempted to collate the maximum available information at
that time and added as many sporting and field notes as have been
obtainable. In classification it is very close to Blandford’s Fauna of
British India series.
4. G.P.Baker’s Calico Painting and
Printing in the East Indies in the 17th and 18th
centuries covers a wide field of research, involving both historical and
technical study of the specimen of this fascinating art, scattered in the
art and technical museums of Europe and U.K., as well as in private
collections of professional designers and some British and Dutch families
whose ancestors were connected with the East Indies. The set of facsimiles
reproduced in the book reveal the most characteristic examples of this
most captivating and little known art. Due to the perishable nature of the
fabrics, even the few examples that have survived, will, in the course of
time, be gradually lost to the art lovers of the world except those who
are preserved in the museums equipped with preservation techniques. As
example of decorative art, some of these printed Calicoes are unsurpassed
in design; they reveal an art, which had reached such a pitch of
perfection that it presupposes long centuries of apprenticeship and
practice. The ornament of large trees growing from mounds of earth,
enlivened with all the rich flora of the Orient and diversified with
various birds, monkeys, squirrels, butterflies and miniature elephants,
form much of the motif in these exquisite specimens reproduced in this
series of picture postcards.
5. In James Fergusson’ Picturesque
Illustrations of Ancient Architecture in Hindostan, published in 1847, he
introduced in the study of Indian architecture typological classification
of structures, fixing a chronology on the basis of the dated examples. He
took painstaking care in preparing the plates given in the book. He
vouched for their correctness as they were all based on sketches taken on
the spot with camera lucida and never afterward touched till put into the
hands of the artist in England. Though the foregrounds and the skies were
generally the artist’s, he ensured that the buildings were literal
transcripts of his sketches. He asserted that they were the most correct
delineations of Indian Architecture that had been given to the public till
that time. The twelve plates selected from his work represent temples
located in Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, etc.
6.Birds of Paradise by D.G.Elliot have
always attracted the attention of bird-lovers and naturalists on account
of their charming and unusual plumage. Among the many and diversified
ornithological groups of which we have any knowledge, there is none that
contain species possessing a more extraordinary and abnormal style of
plumage than that in which are included the beautiful creatures
universally known as Birds of Paradise. Even the present day naturalist,
however adventurous, does not find it easy to successfully explore these
birds. It is because of their habitation in lands with dense forests,
rugged terrain, and unhealthy climate, besides hostility of the native
tribes. It is not surprising, therefore, that a number of absurd and
exaggerated stories have been current in the air, that they live in the
air and that they hatch their eggs under their wings. However,
ornithologists are successful in studying, and describing the
characteristics of the Birds of Paradise. A selection of 12 birds for this
series of picture postcards will interest art lovers, and naturalists
alike.
7.A Picturesque Voyage to
India by the way of China by Thomas Daniell and William Daniell -
The monuments and other artifacts that have
provided artists- and photographers- with a limitless source of
inspiration have been preserved by a people with a strong sense of
history. The Daniell’s were optimistic that the pictorial records of
their voyages would be vibrant expressions of an ancient culture. This
would enrich the nature of the ties that bound England and India together.
The bonds of a communicated aesthetic would add a dimension immeasurably
more lasting than any other strand of the colonial relationship. It is
this hope that informs the engravings by Thomas Daniell and William
Daniell portrayed in this set of cards. They convey some of the flavor of
this fecund interaction between the European eye and Asian scenes.
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