Interior of the domed entrance to the  Neminath temple, Dilwara, Mount Abu thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Interior of the domed entrance to the Neminath temple, Dilwara, Mount Abu

Painting
05/1851 or 06/1851 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

William Carpenter was the eldest son of the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter and of William Hookham Carpenter, who became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 he set off in the footsteps of his younger brother Percy, also an artist, and 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, and he also spent some time in the Punjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856. Ten years later he was living in Boston, USA, but he later returned to London, where he died in 1899. This painting is of the interior of the main Jain temple at Dilwara on Mount Abu and shows pilgrims standing and sitting.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleInterior of the domed entrance to the Neminath temple, Dilwara, Mount Abu (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil and watercolour, heightened with white, on paper
Brief description
Interior of the domed entrance to the Neminath temple, Dilwara, Mount Abu by William Carpenter, Painting, watercolour on paper, India, 1851
Physical description
Interior of the domed entrance to the Neminath Temple, the main Jain temple at Dilwara with elaborately carved columns and men standing, sitting or squatting.
Dimensions
  • Height: 26.5cm
  • Width: 36.8cm
Gallery label
  • INTERIOR OF THE DOMED ENTRANCE TO THE NEMINATH TEMPLE, DILWARA, MOUNT ABU William Carpenter (1818-99) Watercolour on paper Mount Abu, Rajasthan 1851 IS.166-1881 Neminath Temple is the largest structure at Dilwara. Built between the 11th and 13th centuries, the complex is one of the most sacred Jain pilgrimage sites. William Carpenter skilfully captured the finely carved marble architectural features in his painting, as well as the daily activities of priests and congregation. The V&A has over 200 works by the artist.(01/08/2018)
  • This painting is of the main temple at Dilwara. Carpenter skilfully captures the intricately carved marble interior as well as the day-to-day activities of the priests and devotees.
Credit line
Purchased from William Carpenter
Object history
Historical significance: William Carpenter (1818-99)
Carpenter travelled from Ahmadabad on the Mehsana road in April 1851; he was certainly at Mehsana that month (APAC:WD 3879). He probably continued to Sidhpur and Palanpur and on to Mount Abu and the Dilwara Temples in May and June. From Mount Abu, he took a route north-east through Rohera, then probably across the mountaines to Bedla in June, and on to Udaipur, where he spent the remainder of June and July.

William Carpenter was trained at the Royal Academy Schools, and was the eldest son of the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter and William Hookham Carpenter, who became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum.

He was in India from 1850 t0 1856, during which time he travelled extensively from Bombay (Mumbai) and across western India to Rajasthan, Delhi, Kashmir, Lahore and Afghanistan. His depiction of every day street scenes and groups of people is remarkably accurate and animated, his portraits vividly capturing the character of his sitters and the glowing effects of sunlight as cityscapes and architectural monuments. Brilliantly executed in a range of warm colours, his watercolours evoke a gentle romanticism.

After his return to England, The Illustrated London News published some of his watercolours. In 1881, he exhibited 275 of his paintings in a one-man show in the South Kensington Museum, London. This entire collection was subsequently acquired by the V&A.
Subject depicted
Place depicted
Summary
William Carpenter was the eldest son of the distinguished portrait painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter and of William Hookham Carpenter, who became Keeper of the Prints and Drawings Department at the British Museum. In early 1850 he set off in the footsteps of his younger brother Percy, also an artist, and 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, and he also spent some time in the Punjab and Afghanistan before moving south to Rajasthan. He appears to have returned to England in 1856. Ten years later he was living in Boston, USA, but he later returned to London, where he died in 1899. This painting is of the interior of the main Jain temple at Dilwara on Mount Abu and shows pilgrims standing and sitting.
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. 113 'Dome supported on pillars in front of the entrance to the shrine of the principal Temple, Dailwara. They were all built by the Jains, and are of white marble.'
  • 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. 59
  • Barnard, Nick, Arts of Asia, Vol. no. 46, no 1, "The Jain Collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum". January-February 2016 p. 100, no. 13
Collection
Accession number
IS.166-1881

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Record createdJuly 15, 2003
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