Bathing Scene at a Ghat (probably the Lalita Ghat) on the Ganges at Benares (Varanasi) thumbnail 1
Bathing Scene at a Ghat (probably the Lalita Ghat) on the Ganges at Benares (Varanasi) thumbnail 2
Not on display

Bathing Scene at a Ghat (probably the Lalita Ghat) on the Ganges at Benares (Varanasi)

Oil Painting
ca. 1840 (painted)
Artist/Maker
D'Oyly, Charles (Sir) (painted by)
Place of origin
Varanasi (painted)

Charles D'Oyly was born in Calcutta in 1781 (Kolkata)and after being educated in England returned to India as an East India Company servant. He was a skilled amateur painter and became a key figure in the art scene in eastern India during the 1820s.

Object details

Category
Paintings
Object type
Oil painting
TitleBathing Scene at a Ghat (probably the Lalita Ghat) on the Ganges at Benares (Varanasi)
Materials and techniques
oil on canvas
Oil Colour
Canvas
Brief description
Bathing scene at a ghat (probably the Lalita ghat) on the Ganges at Benares (Varanasi), by Charles D'Oyly, oil on canvas, ca. 1840, Varanasi
Physical description
Bathing scene at a ghat (probably the Lalita ghat) on the Ganges at Benares (Varanasi)
Dimensions
  • Sight measure height: 47.62cm
  • Sight measure width: 57.1cm
Gallery label
(1/12/2008)
Charles D’Oyly was George Chinnery’s most enthusiastic pupil and his closest friend. However, unlike Chinnery and his intimate paintings, D’Oyly preferred to convey the grand nature of the scenes he depicted.

D’Oyly was at the centre of the amateur art scene in eastern India for many years. In 1824, he and his circle of amateurs including local Indian artists, held a meeting to establish an art society entitled the United Patna & Gyah Society, or Behar School of Athens ‘for the promotion of the Arts & Sciences, and for the circulation of fun and merriment of all descriptions’.
Credit line
Given by A. W. Franks, Esq, F.R.S.
Object history
Information in the "List of Works of Art acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum during the Year 1880" London: Wyman and sons says this is by Thomas or William Daniell, R.A.

Given by A. W. Franks, Esq, F.R.S.. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.
Place depicted
Varanasi
Summary
Charles D'Oyly was born in Calcutta in 1781 (Kolkata)and after being educated in England returned to India as an East India Company servant. He was a skilled amateur painter and became a key figure in the art scene in eastern India during the 1820s.
Bibliographic reference
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. 239, pl. 55
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
70-1880

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Record createdJuly 4, 2007
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O136865/bathing-scene-at-a-ghat-oil-painting-doyly-charles-sir/
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