Showing posts with label Animals. Show all posts

Parade of Elephants and Soldiers - Indian Miniature Painting, Kashmir, Circa 1800

Credit: christies.com

Mughal emperor Akbar on horseback, inspecting a wild elephant captured from a herd during a royal hunting expedition near Malwa in north central India - Mughal Painting, Circa 1586-1589

This illustration to the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) depicts the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) on horseback, inspecting a wild elephant captured from a herd during a royal hunting expedition near Malwa in north central India. The elephant is shown tethered to a tree to start its training process, and two trained elephants can be seen in the foreground being led away. The manuscript describes in detail the process of training a wild elephant.

The Akbarnama was commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written in Persian by his court historian and biographer, Abu’l Fazl, between 1590 and 1596, and the V&A’s partial copy of the manuscript is thought to have been illustrated between about 1592 and 1595. This is thought to be the earliest illustrated version of the text, and drew upon the expertise of some of the best royal artists of the time. Many of these are listed by Abu’l Fazl in the third volume of the text, the A’in-i Akbari, and some of these names appear in the V&A illustrations, written in red ink beneath the pictures, showing that this was a royal copy made for Akbar himself. After his death, the manuscript remained in the library of his son Jahangir (r.1605–1627), from whom it was inherited by Shah Jahan (r.1628–1658).

Credit: Victoria and Albert Museum,

Elephant Combat - Mughal Painting, 19th Century

Credit: thedigitalwalters.org

Illustration of a Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) - Mughal Painting, Circa 1640

This painting of a nilgai (also called a blue bull or Boselaphus tragocamelus), which is an antelope indigenous to Asia, is attributable to the reign of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1037-1068 AH / 1627-1658 CE). Such animal studies were popular commissions among the Mughal emperors, who showed a marked curiosity about the natural world in their royal histories. Patronage of paintings of flora, fauna, and animals received a particular impetus under the Mughal emperor Jahangir (r. 1014-1037 AH / 1605-27 CE) and was continued under later Mughals. The detailed foliage in the foreground and the light green background are comparable to other studies of single animals dating to c. 1049 AH / 1640 CE.

Credit: thedigitalwalters.org

A Mughal Prince (Probably Akbar) Riding an Elephant in Procession - c1570

This fragment of a larger painting on cloth was made for Akbar at the same period as the Hamzanama series. A prince, perhaps Akbar himself (now only seen in the original under-drawing), rides a large elephant at the head of a lively royal procession of elephants. The upper part of this painting is in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Cloth-paintings of this kind were probably displayed within the emperor’s tent quarters on his travels and campaigns.

Medium: Gouache with Gold on Cotton Cloth

Source: ashmolean.org

Maharaja Suraj Mal with a Hawk - Pahari Painting c1730 - 1740

Suraj Mal (r.1613-1618) was an early Nurpur ruler who died in exile after rebelling against the emperor Jahangir. In this posthumous portrait of the jharoka window type, the veteran warrior strokes the breast of his prize hawk. Pahari rulers were often portrayed with a hawk or falcon, as a mark of their hunting prowess and regal demeanour.

Medium: Gouache with gold on paper
Source: ashmolean.org

Buffaloes in Combat, Mughal Painting, Late 16th Century

Artist: Attributed to Miskin (active ca. 1570–1604)
Medium: Ink, watercolor, and gold on paper
Source: http://www.metmuseum.org

Illustrations of Indian Zoology (1830 - 1835) - Part 2

ILLUSTRATIONS

INDIAN ZOOLOGY;

CHIEFLY SELECTED FROM THE COLLECTION

MAJOR GENERAL HARDWICRE

JOHN EDWARD GRAY

(1830 - 1835)

1. Almorah Woodpecker, Picus dimidiatus;

2. Rufus Indian Woodpecker, Picus rufus

1. Balassian [Balastian] Swift, Cypselus palmarum. 1a. Male, 1b. Female, 1c. Young, 1d. Nest; 2. Allied Swift, Cypselus

1. Brown Woodpecker, Picus Molluccensis. Male and Female;

2. Mahratta Woodpecker, Picus Mahrattensis. Male and Female

1. Crimson Woodpecker, Picus mineatus;

2. Indian three-toed Woodpecker, Picus Tiga;

3. A head of Female

1. Gular Jay, Garrulus gularis;

2. Beautiful Jay, Garrulus ornatus. Natural size

1. Indian Goat Sucker, Caprimulgus Indicus;

2. Bombay Goat Sucker, Caprimulgus Asiaticus.

1. Nepaul Woodpecker, Picus Nepaulensis;

2. Moustache Woodpecker, Picus barbatus

Almorah Jay, Garrulus Vigorsii

Chinese Magpie, Pica Sinensis

Hardwicke's Polyplectron, Polyplectron Hardwickii

Hunting Crow, Kitta venatorius

Lesser spotted Woodpecker, Picus Macei. 1. Male, 2. Female, 2a. Wing, 2b. Tail

Lineated [Nepaul] Pheasant, Phasianus Hamiltonii

Lineated Peacock Pheasant, Polyplectron lineatum

Pucras Pheasant, Phasianus Pucrasia

Reeve's Pheasant, Phasianus Reevesii

Argus Pheasant, Argus Paeoninus [Pavoninus]. China, 23 Natural size

Sirkeer Cuckoo, Centropus Sirkee

Small Paradise Bird, Paradisea minor

Weigler, Rufons Magpie, Pica Vagabunga. Natives of Calcutta

Source: Archive.org

Read the Book Online

Part 1

Part 2

Illustrations of Indian Zoology (1830 - 1835) - Part 1

Major-General Thomas Hardwicke (1755 – 3 May 1835) was an English soldier and naturalist who was resident in India from 1777 to 1823. After returning to England he collaborated with John Edward Gray in the publication of Illustrations of Indian Zoology (1830-35).

During his military career in India Hardwicke travelled extensively over the subcontinent. He started collecting zoological specimens in these travels and amassed a large collection of paintings of animals which he got local artists to make. Most paintings were made from dead specimens, but many were also drawn from life. When he left India he had the largest collection of drawings of Indian animals ever formed by a single individual.

The Indian artists employed by Hardwicke are unknown but they were trained and their style was adapted to the demands of technical illustration using watercolours. The collection was bequeathed to the British Museum in 1835 which was later partly moved to the Natural History Museum. The collection consists of 4500 illustrations.

His collections of illustrations were used by zoologists like J. E. Gray. Illustrations of Indian Zoology was published with Hardwicke's financing and it contained 202 large hand coloured plates, but he died before the textual part was produced. (Wikipedia)

ILLUSTRATIONS
OF
INDIAN ZOOLOGY;
CHIEFLY SELECTED FROM THE COLLECTION
MAJOR GENERAL HARDWICRE
BY
JOHN EDWARD GRAY