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William Daniell (1769-1837) was the nephew of the great landscape artist, Thomas Daniell along with his uncle managed to meet the new middle - class taste for sceneries from India, and in 1834 he provided most of the drawings for the first Oriental Annual where images were accompanied by text as to create an imaginary journey through India. It is likely these prints were included in the Oriental Annual or Scenes in India.

The Daniells were amongst the first British to discover the northern landscapes of India. On 27th April 1789 they arrived at Srinagar in Garhwal, and W. Daniell described the events of the day when they first met the townspeople:
"Immediately after our arrival the people flocked around us in great numbers…the Rajah and his brother paid us a visit. A great crowd of people came with him and our tent was so filled with them that we could hardly be heard."

Although a feud between the Raja and one of his brothers forced the Daniells to leave the region early, they were able to make enough sketches of the area. The mountainous district of Garhwal, near Srinagar, has been captured by the Uncle-Nephew duo in a series of breath taking panoramas. In print (a), the terraced wheat fields shown by Daniells on the right of their composition are said to still be seen today overlooking the flood plain of the Khoha River and a smaller tributary.

As explorers, the Daniells had to make several ascents to the reach the foothills of the Himalayas and explore the mountainous landscape of the northern states, especially in Kashmir, as William Daniell noted some of his observations:
"From the range ascended a very high mountain from which we had a glorious view of the snowy ones, or rather regions. The height of them far exceeded any of our expectations - they disappeared soon after the sun had risen."

Though cultivation has invaded the lower slopes of the valley, the scene portrayed in print (b) by Daniell's is said to have remained much the same.

Oriental Scenery includes views of the mountains and valleys of Garhwal, including a view of the rope bridge over the Alakanda River at Srinagar, as depicted in print (c). Floods in 1903 washed away the fortified rock jutting abruptly out of the Alaknanda River, as well as destroying the original town of Srinagar. The suspension rope bridge shown by the Daniells was a temporary means of linking the base of the rock to the village of Ranihat on the opposite bank, the temples of which are still standing. Srinagar proved to be the terminus of the Daniells' hurried journey in the Garhwal region.

Emperor Akbar fortified Chunar (in Uttar Pradesh), an important city on the Ganges River, in order to serve as a garrison city at the gateway to his Eastern Indian provinces. In 1606 Shah Qasim Sulaiman, a well-known religious leader, died there and a mausoleum was erected in his honour. It is this mausoleum that William Daniell's depicts in print (d). Delicate relief patterns of different designs cover almost the entire surface of the building, in contrast to the unadorned whitewashed surfaces of the saints domed tomb. The mausoleum is elevated on a broad terrace with delicately carved sandstone screens of different designs.

a) View near Daramundi in the mountains of Serinagur (17),Published by Tho. & Will Daniell, No.9 Cleveland Street Fitzroy Square London May 1, 1814
b) Near Dusa in the Mountains of Serinagur (18), Published by Tho. & Will Daniell, No. 9 Cleveland Street Fitzroy Square London May 1, 1814
c) The Rope Bridge at Serinagur (23), Published by Tho. & Will Daniell, No. 9 Cleveland Street Fitzroy Square London May 1, 1814
d) Mausoleum of Kausim Solemanee at Chunar Gur (23), Published by Tho. & Wil Daniell, No. 9 Cleveland Street Fitzroy Square London March 30, 1813

These prints are in good condition. The prints have survived several decades and may show some signs of wear and tear. This does not in any way detract from their beauty or value.

These items are sold unframed. They are available for viewing in Saffronart's London gallery.

About Poems in Print: People and Places of India

The fusion of romanticism and documentation is exhibited in this new collection of 18th – 19th century British prints of colonial India. Illustrated from an Oriental perspective, these prints served as valuable displays or notes of observations that were forming through the discovery of a vast and newly conquered India. While they were incredibly useful for purposes of documentation, they also evoked a romantic sense of adventure that is usually associated with Orientalism.

A diverse group of artists are represented in the collection, both amateur and established artists are included, while some came from military backgrounds, others were skilled print makers and engravers. Each provided a unique perspective on their discoveries of and fascination with the people and places of India. A few of the artists represented include William Daniell, John Luard, Charles Gold, and Thomas Bacon. Most prints were based on sketches that were made during their travels, and printed as artworks, while others were published in British Newspapers such as The Illustrated London News. Others were used for more academic purposes, such as those made for the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. The publishing and distribution of all these prints had one unified result, which was to establish an image of India with the people of Britain, and Europe at large, thus whether they were intended to or not they became instrumental in creating perceptions and notions of what India was.

Thus the historical value of these works lie in their representation of an 18th and 19th century India, as well as the educative role they fulfilled in informing all those who were unable to see India for themselves. While their artistic value lies in the unique aura that each work revels in, each artist managed to convey a romanticism that is evoked through the exploration of the people and places of a new land and culture.