Mermaid gate, Kaiserbagh, Lucknow
Painting
1864
1864
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
William Simpson (1823 - 1899) was a distinguished watercolourist and war artist. Having established his reputation by documenting the Crimean war in 1854, Day and Sons, the London lithography firm, commissioned him to sketch well-known sites in and around Delhi associated with the Revolt of 1857 by Indians against the rule of the British East India Company.
Simpson arrived in Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1859 and travelled widely. His rapid pencil drawings formed the preparatory studies for his finished watercolours done after his return to London in 1862. His detailed journal, sketches and pictures from India resulted in these highly coloured, evocative, and romantic interpretations of the landscape and architecture.
Simpson completed the painting of the Jal Pari (Mermaid Gateway) at the Kaiserbagh Palace Complex in Lucknow in 1864. Jal Pari translates to ‘water fairy’. The Palace was built between 1848 and 1850 for Nawab Wajid Ali Shah (r. 1847-56). It consisted of an immense courtyard surrounded by living quarters, royal mansions, baradaris (pillared pavilions) and cupolas. The Nawab had an abiding interest in European architecture which resulted in this eclectic design. Passing through the Jal Pari, one arrived in a garden called Hazrat Bagh, at the centre of which was the Chandi Wali Baradari (Silver pillared pavilion). This pavilion was famed for the silver plating that covered the roof, walls and pillars.
A large part of the Kaiserbagh Palace Complex was destroyed during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58 by the British. The Mermaid Gateway survived until 1870. Simpson’s painting is an important illustration of the Mermaid Gate that no longer exists.
Simpson arrived in Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1859 and travelled widely. His rapid pencil drawings formed the preparatory studies for his finished watercolours done after his return to London in 1862. His detailed journal, sketches and pictures from India resulted in these highly coloured, evocative, and romantic interpretations of the landscape and architecture.
Simpson completed the painting of the Jal Pari (Mermaid Gateway) at the Kaiserbagh Palace Complex in Lucknow in 1864. Jal Pari translates to ‘water fairy’. The Palace was built between 1848 and 1850 for Nawab Wajid Ali Shah (r. 1847-56). It consisted of an immense courtyard surrounded by living quarters, royal mansions, baradaris (pillared pavilions) and cupolas. The Nawab had an abiding interest in European architecture which resulted in this eclectic design. Passing through the Jal Pari, one arrived in a garden called Hazrat Bagh, at the centre of which was the Chandi Wali Baradari (Silver pillared pavilion). This pavilion was famed for the silver plating that covered the roof, walls and pillars.
A large part of the Kaiserbagh Palace Complex was destroyed during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58 by the British. The Mermaid Gateway survived until 1870. Simpson’s painting is an important illustration of the Mermaid Gate that no longer exists.
Object details
| Object type | |
| Title | Mermaid gate, Kaiserbagh, Lucknow (generic title) |
| Brief description | Painting of the Mermaid gate, Kaiserbagh, Lucknow by William Simpson, pencil and watercolour on paper, London, 1864 |
| Physical description | Painting of the Jal Pari (Mermaid Gateway) at the Kaiserbagh Palace Complex in Lucknow, India. The Greek temple style pediment of the archway is stuccoed with four mermaid reliefs, two of which are larger than the others. The columns on the façade are of the composite order – the capitals have a combination of the volutes of Ionic and the acanthus leaves of Corinthian order. Also visible through the arch are structures that feature fish reliefs. A mendicant, clad in a white dhoti, is seated outside. Two other native men and a woman carrying a child are seen in the foreground. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Mermaid Gate, Kaiser Bagh, Lucknow. Wm. Simpson 1864. |
| Credit line | Purchased from Messrs Day and Son Ltd (London) in 1869 |
| Object history | William Simpson (1823 - 1899), born in Glasgow, was a distinguished watercolourist and war artist. Following a seven-year apprenticeship with a specialist lithographic firm, he moved to London in February 1851 and found employment with Day and Sons. Having established his reputation by documenting the Crimean war in 1854, he was commissioned to sketch well-known sites in and around Delhi associated with the Revolt of 1857 against the rule of the British East India Company. Simpson arrived in Calcutta (Kolkata) at the end of October 1859 and travelled extensively. Throughout his life, he kept careful diaries, and his hundreds of sketches and pictures form an invaluable record of his travels. He planned to produce four large volumes with approximately 250 plates to be lithographed as illustrations. He spent seven years on the project – three years making preparatory works and the rest in London working his sketches into finished paintings. His life and work in India resulted in these highly coloured, evocative, and romantic interpretations of the landscape and architecture. While Simpson was away, Day and Son had been drifting into debt. In 1867, before it finally went into liquidation at the end of the year, Simpson was made a company shareholder as part payment for his work. Two years later, his collection of 250 watercolours were sold as bankrupt stock. The V&A purchased 44 original watercolours from Day & Son, Limited (London) in 1869. |
| Summary | William Simpson (1823 - 1899) was a distinguished watercolourist and war artist. Having established his reputation by documenting the Crimean war in 1854, Day and Sons, the London lithography firm, commissioned him to sketch well-known sites in and around Delhi associated with the Revolt of 1857 by Indians against the rule of the British East India Company. Simpson arrived in Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1859 and travelled widely. His rapid pencil drawings formed the preparatory studies for his finished watercolours done after his return to London in 1862. His detailed journal, sketches and pictures from India resulted in these highly coloured, evocative, and romantic interpretations of the landscape and architecture. Simpson completed the painting of the Jal Pari (Mermaid Gateway) at the Kaiserbagh Palace Complex in Lucknow in 1864. Jal Pari translates to ‘water fairy’. The Palace was built between 1848 and 1850 for Nawab Wajid Ali Shah (r. 1847-56). It consisted of an immense courtyard surrounded by living quarters, royal mansions, baradaris (pillared pavilions) and cupolas. The Nawab had an abiding interest in European architecture which resulted in this eclectic design. Passing through the Jal Pari, one arrived in a garden called Hazrat Bagh, at the centre of which was the Chandi Wali Baradari (Silver pillared pavilion). This pavilion was famed for the silver plating that covered the roof, walls and pillars. A large part of the Kaiserbagh Palace Complex was destroyed during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58 by the British. The Mermaid Gateway survived until 1870. Simpson’s painting is an important illustration of the Mermaid Gate that no longer exists. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic reference | Registered File number RF/1869/6716 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1136-1869 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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