Oriental Scenery: Aquatints of India by Thomas Daniell and William Daniell

This talk is a brief introduction and discussion of the exhibition, ‘Oriental Scenery’, with its curator Giles Tillotson. A collection of 144 aquatint prints, collectively known as ‘Oriental Scenery’, represent the single largest and most impressive project by English artists to depict Indian architecture and landscape. Thomas Daniell (1749-1840) and his nephew William Daniell (1769-1837) travelled throughout India extensively between 1786 and 1793. On their return to Britain, they produced many paintings, drawings and prints based on the sketches they had made on their travels. At Drishyakala (by DAG in collaboration with the ASI), the documented travels and the collected works of the Daniells are on display together for the first time.

This Baithak is in collaboration with Drishyakal.

DAG in collaboration with ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) present ‘Drishyakala’—a unique art museum at the historic Red Fort’s Barrack No. 4. The museum plays host to four impressive exhibitions that explore the development of Indian modern art from the eighteenth century onwards. Each exhibition covers a different time period or artistic movement—starting with Thomas and William Daniells’ colonial landscapes and aquatints, followed by Popular Prints, Portraits and finally, India’s National Treasure Artists. DAG has curated this historical exhibition from its collection, keeping with its long-term vision of making art accessible to the general public, and to expand the understanding of Indian art.