Not currently on display at the V&A

Engraving

19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Engraving, printed in black on paper with hand-painted details in scarlet, yellow, green and magenta watercolour. Ornamental calligraphy in the form of a pigeon, embodying two verses.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Printed and painted in ink and watercolour on paper
Brief description
Engraving, calligraphy in form of pigeon, printed on paper, painted details in watercolour, Lahore, late 19th century
Physical description
Engraving, printed in black on paper with hand-painted details in scarlet, yellow, green and magenta watercolour. Ornamental calligraphy in the form of a pigeon, embodying two verses.
Marks and inscriptions
(calligraphy embodied within pigeon)
Translation
'There is no sure for poverty among the laws for the treatment of diseases. Even Boo Ali, the great physician, failed. Fortune is uncertain; like a pigeon, it is fond of a new house.'
Credit line
Given by Col J. Holbein Hendley, C.I.E.
Object history
See letter of Hendley to Caspar Purdon Clarke, December 31 1915 on NFMA/1/H1596, Hendley Family, where he notes that these were from 'the bazaar' and are the originals of those published by him and Chaubey Bisvesvar Nath of Jaipur in the Journal of Indian Art. Several of the calligraphic birds and animals reproduced in the Journal are signed and give their place of origin as Lahore, or the Lahore bazaar.

Owned by Thomas Holbein Hendley, who was a British medical officer in the Indian Medical Service from 1869 until 1903. He was also an authority figure on Indian art and helped find the Quarterly Journal of Indian Art in 1886. When the Residency Surgeon of Jaipur, he helped establish the Jaipur Museum in 1881. In 1883, he organised the Jeypore Exhibition of Decorative and Industrial Arts whose collection along with that of the museum was moved to the building now known as the Albert Hall Museum.

Given by Col J. Holbein Hendley, C.I.E., 4 Loudoun Road, St. John's Wood, N.W. 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.

R.P. 1916/12M
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
IM.11-1916

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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