Picture Details
Illustration of Indigo, from the William Roxburgh Collection, watercolour on paper.
Partner:
Kew GardensImage reference:
ILLUS57.01/91.0ROXOrigin:
IndiaArtist / Date:
Unknown, 1790-1813Size:
530 x 371 mmDescription:
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The indigo plant would have been more than familiar to William Roxburgh (1751-1815), the scientist who commissioned this illustration, having spent years growing the famous dye-plant at his experimental station based at Saharanpore. The paintings made under Roxburgh's supervision were never signed, although reproductions made several years later mentioned artists such as Gorachand, Haludar, Mahangu Lal and Vishnu Prasad, all of whom were active in Calcutta shortly after Roxburgh departed. This painting demonstrates the compromise reached between traditional Indian artists and their European patrons. The paper is British, as probably are the paints, and the pigment has been applied in translucent washes in the typical European manner, quite unlike the opaque, jewel like paintings traditionally executed by Indian court painters. Despite their efforts criticism was occasionally doled out; one Company drawing bears the inscription 'Most abominable leaves for which master painter shall be duly cut with reference to this months wages.'
