A street in Bombay; Ram Lals house
Painting
12/1850 or 01/1851 (painted)
12/1850 or 01/1851 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
William Carpenter painted this Bombay street scene. It shows the house of a man named Ram Lal. Carpenter's Indian pictures display a particular interest in costume, agriculture, and the day-to-day lives of the local inhabitants. This one is typical of his style.
Carpenter's mother was the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter (née Geddes). His father, William Hookham Carpenter, became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 William Carpenter landed in Bombay. He spent much of his time painting portraits of local rulers and the surrounding countryside, often wearing Indian dress himself. He travelled widely, from Sri Lanka in the south to Kashmir in the north. He also spent some time in the Panjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856.
Carpenter's mother was the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter (née Geddes). His father, William Hookham Carpenter, became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 William Carpenter landed in Bombay. He spent much of his time painting portraits of local rulers and the surrounding countryside, often wearing Indian dress himself. He travelled widely, from Sri Lanka in the south to Kashmir in the north. He also spent some time in the Panjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | A street in Bombay; Ram Lals house (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Painting by a British artist; William Carpenter, A street scene in Bombay, India, 1855. |
| Physical description | A street scene in Bombay. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | A street in Bombay; Ram Lals house. (English; Roman) |
| Credit line | Purchased from William Carpenter |
| Historical context | William Carpenter (1818-1899) travelled through India from 1850 to 1856 painting portraits and pictures of rulers and their courts and Indian scenery. He travelled to Calcutta via Bombay and Sri Lanka and then up to Delhi and the Punjab frequently dressing in Indian style during his journeys. He stayed in Kashmir from 1854-55, obviously delighting in the scenery and people. Later visiting Afghanistan and then moving south to Rajasthan. On his return to England he exhibited Indian scenes at the Royal Academy between 1857 and 1866. |
| Summary | William Carpenter painted this Bombay street scene. It shows the house of a man named Ram Lal. Carpenter's Indian pictures display a particular interest in costume, agriculture, and the day-to-day lives of the local inhabitants. This one is typical of his style. Carpenter's mother was the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter (née Geddes). His father, William Hookham Carpenter, became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 William Carpenter landed in Bombay. He spent much of his time painting portraits of local rulers and the surrounding countryside, often wearing Indian dress himself. He travelled widely, from Sri Lanka in the south to Kashmir in the north. He also spent some time in the Panjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856. |
| Bibliographic reference | Archer, Mildred and Ronald Lightbown. 'India Observed: India as viewed by British Artists 1760-1860. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1982. p108 and 138. ISBN 0905209184 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.61-1881 |
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| Record created | March 10, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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