Untitled (View from Cumballa Hills)

Signed "WHATELY ELIOT / 1914" lower right

1914

Watercolour on board

Artwork size: 21 x 29 in (53.5 x 73.5 cm)
With Mount size: 27.5 x 35.5 in (69.7 x 90 cm)

PROVENANCE
Acreman St. Antiques Auction, Sherborne, Dorset, 25 November 2022, lot 671

This is a large watercolour painting of a view from Cumballa Hills by Sir Whately Eliot (1841–1927). This piece draws its inspiration from a photograph possibly captured by Clifton Studio numbered 2175, taken from the very same vantage point. (see lot no.46 from this auction)

Though the label at the back mentions this as being a dam, there are references to confirm that it is indeed a view from Cumballa Hill.

Shown is a semi-forested hillock interspersed. In the foreground one can see the Vellard on the right, a favourite Sunday evening drive. Bombay's original seven islands contained 22 hills, the majority of which were levelled and utilised to fill the wetlands between the islands. Nine of them were undeveloped, two of which were the Cumballa and Malabar Hills, the city's highest points. These two regions are upscale neighbourhoods in Bombay (Mumbai). They are also where the majority of the city's billionaires as well as well-known clergy call home. Additionally known as Diplomat's Hill or Ambassador's Row due to the presence of high commissions and consulates there.

The hill is close to the Gowalia Tank where the Gowalas or cowherds of Bombay brought the cattle of the locality for drinking water. The hill was a jungle and as in course of time a number of Khambs came to be fixed there, the place was called Khambalaya or Khambala that is an abode or locality of khambs which were abodes or resting places for the temple ghosts of certain dead ancestors. Cumballa Hill, literally means KHAMBA-LA TEKDI or Hill of Stakes. It was the location of the "Shraadh" ceremony, which is celebrated during the monsoon month of Sravan, when devoted Hindus would commemorate their ancestors.

During the colonial period, Bombay underwent significant urban development and expansion. Cumballa Hill was one of the areas that saw the construction of residential properties for the British elite. Cumballa Hill became a sought-after location for the construction of colonial-era bungalows and mansions. These properties were often built with architectural styles influenced by the British and European designs of the time. The hill's elevation provided cooler temperatures and a pleasant environment, making it an attractive residential choice.

Today, Cumballa Hill remains one of the upscale residential neighborhoods in Mumbai. The area is known for its elegant homes, luxury apartment complexes, and lush greenery. Its location on a hill provides panoramic views of the surrounding city and the Arabian Sea.

NON-EXPORTABLE

This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as reference for the condition of each book.