Five plans of Delhi. thumbnail 1
Five plans of Delhi. thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Five plans of Delhi.

Drawing
ca.1774 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Delhi (drawn)

Street plan of the Chandni Chauk area showing the Fatehpuri Mosque at the west end, as well as the water channel from the Jumna built by Ali Mardan Khan.


Object details

Category
Indian Company Paintings
Object type
Drawing
TitleFive plans of Delhi. (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour
Watercolour
Brief description
Architectural; Drawings, Delhi, ca.1774
Physical description
Street plan of the Chandni Chauk area showing the Fatehpuri Mosque at the west end, as well as the water channel from the Jumna built by Ali Mardan Khan.
Dimensions
  • Length: 140cm
  • Width: 31cm
Style
Company
Marks and inscriptions
  • (Inscribed with identifications in French and Persian.)
  • (other buildings with identifications in pencil in French; in Persian in ink.)
  • (e.g. rue de la reine bouldari; rue du roi gunbad rai; pani punhah samouchar, le palais de Haidar Kalkhan; rue daribah, la place de l'officier de la police, carfour Tchandari Chouk). (Inscribed in French with identifications of houses in the buildings along the road:)
  • The mosque is shown incorrectly with three domes.
Object history
These drawings appear to have been made by Indian draughtsmen working for the French.
It is possible that they were made during the visit of Colonel Gentil to Shah Alam in 1774.

Dalrymple, William and Sharma, Yuthika (eds). Princes and Painters in Mughal Delhi, 1707-1857. New York : Asia Society ; New Haven [Conn.] : Yale University Press, 2012. ISBN 9780300176667 ; 030017666X. p. 156-66, cat. no. 65.
Production
Probably by Delhi draughtsmen.
Subject depicted
Mosque
Bibliographic reference
Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 132 p. ISBN 0944142303
Other number
1762 - Previous number
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
AL.1762

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O403665/five-plans-of-delhi-drawing-unknown/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest