print
- Museum number
- 1870,0514.1487
- Title
- Series: Views in Calcutta
- Description
-
Plate 9; the Old Court House and Street looking South; a broad street with buildings either side, including a grand neo-classical house on the left with an awning over the entrance, several carriages and people carrying parasols in front of it and in the street, people riding an elephant in the left foreground. 1788
Hand-coloured etching and aquatint
- Production date
- 1788
- Dimensions
-
Height: 402 millimetres (trimmed to image)
-
Width: 528 millimetres (trimmed to image)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Abbey provides further information on this set, for which an advertisement was published in the Calcutta Chronicle of 17 July 1786, only a few months after the Daniells reached India. The twelve views were published at twelve gold Mohurs to subscribers, eighteen to non-subscribers. Abbey suggests that the plates were one of Thomas' first attempts at aquatint, produced in a difficult climate, entirely by him, without recourse to facilities or assistance. The hand-colouring was done by local artists but, as Daniell wrote to Ozias Humphrey on completing the views (7 November 1788) the project was an arduous one: 'The Lord be praised, at length I have completed my 12 views of Calcutta ... You know I was obliged to stand Painter Engraver Copper-smith Printer and Printers Devil myself. It was a devilish undertaking but I was determined to see it through at all events.'.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1870
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1870,0514.1487
