68
A study of Foxtail Millet (Panicum Italicum), India, Company School, early 19th Century
1/2
Description
watercolour and pencil on paper watermarked 'J Whatman', inscribed in pencil at lower left "Panicum Italicum"
52.7 by 37.2cm. (20¾by 14⅝in.)
Provenance
Acquired by Cary Welch before 1983
Exhibited
On loan at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1983
Catalogue note
The production of natural history paintings for British patrons by Indian artists began in the 1770s. The earliest paintings of botanical specimens were commissioned by Dr James Kerr, a Scottish surgeon stationed in Bengal who arrived in India in 1772 and sent a group of drawings and some specimens of plants back to Scotland as early as 1773. In the late 1770s and early 1780s Sir Elijah Impey, the Chief Justice of Bengal, and his wife Lady Impey employed several artists to produce an extensive series of exquisite studies of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish (see lot 61 in this sale). The production of natural history studies increased greatly in the early 19th century, and in addition to private patronage, Indian artists producing these splendid watercolours could also find work with the East India Company on official work of various kinds. For detailed discussions of the subject of Company School botanical painting in India see Noltie 2019 and Rix 2021.
Foxtail Millet (Panicum italicum or Setaria italica) is an annual grass species with slim, vertical, leafy stems which can reach a height of over a metre. It has been widely cultivated since ancient times, particularly in Asia, where it has been one of the most important crops, providing a staple food source in many regions and eras. Archaeological evidence from China indicates that it has been cultivated and consumed by humans since the 7th century BC (Lu et al 2009). In India it remains an important food crop and goes by various names, such as kangni in Hindi and kaon dana in Bengali.
52.7 by 37.2cm. (20¾by 14⅝in.)
Provenance
Acquired by Cary Welch before 1983
Exhibited
On loan at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1983
Catalogue note
The production of natural history paintings for British patrons by Indian artists began in the 1770s. The earliest paintings of botanical specimens were commissioned by Dr James Kerr, a Scottish surgeon stationed in Bengal who arrived in India in 1772 and sent a group of drawings and some specimens of plants back to Scotland as early as 1773. In the late 1770s and early 1780s Sir Elijah Impey, the Chief Justice of Bengal, and his wife Lady Impey employed several artists to produce an extensive series of exquisite studies of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish (see lot 61 in this sale). The production of natural history studies increased greatly in the early 19th century, and in addition to private patronage, Indian artists producing these splendid watercolours could also find work with the East India Company on official work of various kinds. For detailed discussions of the subject of Company School botanical painting in India see Noltie 2019 and Rix 2021.
Foxtail Millet (Panicum italicum or Setaria italica) is an annual grass species with slim, vertical, leafy stems which can reach a height of over a metre. It has been widely cultivated since ancient times, particularly in Asia, where it has been one of the most important crops, providing a staple food source in many regions and eras. Archaeological evidence from China indicates that it has been cultivated and consumed by humans since the 7th century BC (Lu et al 2009). In India it remains an important food crop and goes by various names, such as kangni in Hindi and kaon dana in Bengali.
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watercolour and pencil on paper watermarked 'J Whatman', inscribed in pencil at lower left "Panicum Italicum"
52.7 by 37.2cm. (20¾by 14⅝in.)
Provenance
Acquired by Cary Welch before 1983
Exhibited
On loan at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1983
Catalogue note
The production of natural history paintings for British patrons by Indian artists began in the 1770s. The earliest paintings of botanical specimens were commissioned by Dr James Kerr, a Scottish surgeon stationed in Bengal who arrived in India in 1772 and sent a group of drawings and some specimens of plants back to Scotland as early as 1773. In the late 1770s and early 1780s Sir Elijah Impey, the Chief Justice of Bengal, and his wife Lady Impey employed several artists to produce an extensive series of exquisite studies of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish (see lot 61 in this sale). The production of natural history studies increased greatly in the early 19th century, and in addition to private patronage, Indian artists producing these splendid watercolours could also find work with the East India Company on official work of various kinds. For detailed discussions of the subject of Company School botanical painting in India see Noltie 2019 and Rix 2021.
Foxtail Millet (Panicum italicum or Setaria italica) is an annual grass species with slim, vertical, leafy stems which can reach a height of over a metre. It has been widely cultivated since ancient times, particularly in Asia, where it has been one of the most important crops, providing a staple food source in many regions and eras. Archaeological evidence from China indicates that it has been cultivated and consumed by humans since the 7th century BC (Lu et al 2009). In India it remains an important food crop and goes by various names, such as kangni in Hindi and kaon dana in Bengali.
52.7 by 37.2cm. (20¾by 14⅝in.)
Provenance
Acquired by Cary Welch before 1983
Exhibited
On loan at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1983
Catalogue note
The production of natural history paintings for British patrons by Indian artists began in the 1770s. The earliest paintings of botanical specimens were commissioned by Dr James Kerr, a Scottish surgeon stationed in Bengal who arrived in India in 1772 and sent a group of drawings and some specimens of plants back to Scotland as early as 1773. In the late 1770s and early 1780s Sir Elijah Impey, the Chief Justice of Bengal, and his wife Lady Impey employed several artists to produce an extensive series of exquisite studies of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish (see lot 61 in this sale). The production of natural history studies increased greatly in the early 19th century, and in addition to private patronage, Indian artists producing these splendid watercolours could also find work with the East India Company on official work of various kinds. For detailed discussions of the subject of Company School botanical painting in India see Noltie 2019 and Rix 2021.
Foxtail Millet (Panicum italicum or Setaria italica) is an annual grass species with slim, vertical, leafy stems which can reach a height of over a metre. It has been widely cultivated since ancient times, particularly in Asia, where it has been one of the most important crops, providing a staple food source in many regions and eras. Archaeological evidence from China indicates that it has been cultivated and consumed by humans since the 7th century BC (Lu et al 2009). In India it remains an important food crop and goes by various names, such as kangni in Hindi and kaon dana in Bengali.
The Edith & Stuart Cary Welch Collection
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