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Thomas Daniell.

A reflection of this same growing enthusiasm for heritage was the recent opening of what may be called the Daniells’ Gallery in the Fort Museum. In the 18th Century, a number of competent artists in Britain, unable to compete with the outstanding British artists of the time, like Reynolds, Turner, Constable and Gainsborough, turned to India and looked forward to commissions for portraits or the painting of exotica that could be sold in Britain. Among them were John Zoffany, Tilly Kettle, William Hodges, Francis Swain Ward, Henry Salt and George Farrington. But the two who became the best known were Thomas Daniell and his nephew William Daniell.

Thomas Daniell, an artist who had exhibited at the Royal Academy, was 37 when he arrived in Calcutta, by way of China, in 1786. With him there arrived the 17-year-old William who appeared to be apprenticing with him. After a couple of years sketching and selling their work in Calcutta, they toured North India from August 1788 till they returned to Calcutta in November 1791, having travelled 5,000 km in three years. Then it was on to Madras, where they arrived at the end of March 1792. And on April 9th they were off on their tour of South India with “2 Palankeens...2 Horses... a (bullock) Cart”, a retinue of 48 men and sundry bullocks.

William Daniell.

Following the route Cornwallis’ Grand Army had taken, they reached Bangalore, then swung south to Krishnagiri and on to Trichinopoly, thereafter it was southwest to Madura and Cape Comorin, before heading northeast to Rameswaram and then north to Madras by way of Tanjore and Gingee. In all, they travelled approximately 2,500 km in about 8 months. Reaching Madras in mid-November 1792 they got ready to auction 68 oils and four drawings, including a few from Calcutta, and after a successful sale in February they headed for Bombay from where they left for England in 1794.

Back in England, they did their best known work — six sets of aquatints, 24 pictures in each, of their travels in Hindustan. Between March 1795 and 1808, they produced three volumes of Oriental Scenery, followed by Twenty-Four Landscapes, Antiquities of India, and Hindoo Excavations. A reviewer wrote, “The whole is ... as beautiful in execution as it is possible for any views to be... The union of engraving with colouring cannot... be carried to higher excellence.”

While the ancient monuments of India — particularly Madura, Trichinopoly, Tanjore, Conjeevaram and Mahabalipuram in South India — were the Daniells’ best work, their half a dozen views of Madras are certainly of historical interest. One is the first recording of a cricket match in Madras (1792), another is of the Assembly Rooms and the Racecourse, Guindy, and a third is taking the air at St. Thomas’ Mount. But my favourite Daniell is of Fort St George, the shore, East Indiamen in the Roads and masula boats caught at sea being lashed by a storm.

With several of these Daniell prints on exhibition, as well as the work of many of the other British-artists-in-India mentioned earlier, the ‘Daniells’ Gallery’ in the Fort Museum is yet another bit of heritage to catch up with in Madras.

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