Not currently on display at the V&A

Panvell Bunder

Painting
1824-1828 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Sir Charles Harcourt Chambers (1789-1828) was appointed Puisne Judge of the new Supreme Court, Bombay in 1823. He was knighted by George III and became acting Chief Justice of Bombay in August 1828, two months before his death. In his spare time, Chambers was an accomplished amateur watercolour painter of landscapes and riverscapes and journeyed regularly across the harbour to Panvel on the mainland. He also explored the nearby region of the Konkan and Western Ghats, and his pictures were clearly executed on the spot as he travelled. He repeatedly painted the forts, hills and pinnacles, often including trees and vegetation to enhance his compositions. He had considerable skill in capturing atmospheric effects, and his scenes have a distinct sense of reality. It was Chambers himself who probably inserted the pictures into three albums (IS.21 to 23-1994) by slitting the leaves and placing them mostly on separate pages. They are mostly in pencil and watercolour, with a few drawings in pen and ink or pencil. Besides views of Western India, the albums contain a few paintings of London and scenery in England, Scotland and Wales. This picture depicts Panvel bunder (pier), with baggage camels, adjoining the River Panvel in the Kolaba District of Bombay.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePanvell Bunder (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Pencil and watercolour on paper
Brief description
Panwell Bunder by Charles Harcourt Chambers, painting, watercolour on paper, India, 1824-28
Physical description
This painting depicts a road leading inland from the sea. There are camels on the road. In the distance is a landscape, sea and ships. Bullocks sit under the trees in the foreground.
Gallery label
Once travellers had hired horses and baggage camels from the Panvel Tavern, they would begin their journey inland. In this painting Panvel pier is in the background. Today, because of its closeness to Mumbai, Panvel is a rapidly growing city.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Sir Charles Harcourt Chambers (1789-1828) was appointed Puisne Judge of the new Supreme Court, Bombay in 1823. He was knighted by George III and became acting Chief Justice of Bombay in August 1828, two months before his death. In his spare time, Chambers was an accomplished amateur watercolour painter of landscapes and riverscapes and journeyed regularly across the harbour to Panvel on the mainland. He also explored the nearby region of the Konkan and Western Ghats, and his pictures were clearly executed on the spot as he travelled. He repeatedly painted the forts, hills and pinnacles, often including trees and vegetation to enhance his compositions. He had considerable skill in capturing atmospheric effects, and his scenes have a distinct sense of reality. It was Chambers himself who probably inserted the pictures into three albums (IS.21 to 23-1994) by slitting the leaves and placing them mostly on separate pages. They are mostly in pencil and watercolour, with a few drawings in pen and ink or pencil. Besides views of Western India, the albums contain a few paintings of London and scenery in England, Scotland and Wales. This picture depicts Panvel bunder (pier), with baggage camels, adjoining the River Panvel in the Kolaba District of Bombay.
Bibliographic references
  • Rohatgi P. and Parlett G., assisted by Imray S. and Godrej P. Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists: Paintings and Drawings from the Victoria and Albert Museum, 17th to the early 20th century. Published by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, in association with V&A, London, 2008. ISBN 81-901020-9-5. p. 218, pl. 31
  • Patel, Divia; Rohatgi, Pauline and Godrej, Pheroza, "Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists: an exhibition of paintings and drawings from the 17th to the early 20th century organised by the V&A and CSMVS". Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai and Victoria and Albert Museum, 2008, ISBN:81-901020-8-7 p. 45
Collection
Accession number
IS.21:4/1-1994

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Record createdJanuary 5, 2005
Record URL
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