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A Brahmin priest performing Vishnu Puja, a religious ritual is depicted in print (a), framed by a drop shape arch typical of South Indian religious architecture. This puja, taking place in Madras, is also known the Satyanarayan puja, and is performed to maintain the safety and happiness of one's family and life, and to offer gratitude to Lord Vishnu for preserving it so far. Illustrations like this were thus created to document the numerous different rituals Hinduism has.

A priest performing Ganga Puja is portrayed in print (b), probably standing in the Ganges River. Ganga Puja is a ritual and festival celebrated for the literal birth of the Ganges River, who is worshipped like a Goddess. The act of bathing in the river is a form of maintaining purity and washing away ones' sins and bad karma. When someone dies, immersing their ashes in the Ganges is believed to help the soul of the dead attain moksha, by purifying it of its sins.

Two women of similar and simple stature are depicted in print (c), both of low caste. Prints like these were more likely created in attempts to classify and identify the diverse populations of India.

Four Rajput men, presumably warriors, are depicted in print (d). Known to be descendants of ruling classes, Rajputs were (and still are) mainly from and situated around, Rajasthan. During the beginning of the British Raj, they were believed to allies of the British, particularly in their struggles against the Mughal and Maratha ruling empires. Prints like these were more likely created in attempts to classify and identify the diverse populations of India. Prints (c) & (d) were published in two Orientalist books, Peoples of the World by Robert Brown, and The Illustrated History of India.

William Marshall Craig (1760 - 1838) exhibited at the Royal Academy, from 1788 until 1827. He was painter in watercolors to the Queen, and miniature painter to the Duke and Duchess of York. He also excelled as a draughtsman on wood, and as a book illustrator, and he published in 1821 Lectures on Drawing, Painting, and Engraving. Print (e) depicts a man and woman in a rural setting, with a small temple in the background landscape.

a) Vishnu Puja, by J. Higginbotham, Madras, A. Barren lithogr.; Plate C
b) Gunga Puja, Plate I
c) Low Caste Hindoo Women, Bombay
d) Rajpoots from Rajpootana
e) A Man and Woman of Hindoostan with a Temple for Hindoo Worship, by WM Craig deli.; J Barlow sculp. From an original Picture in the Collection of John Sullivan Esq.,Published as the Act Directs by C. Brightly & T. Kinnersler, Bungav; May 24, 1804

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.