A fancy dress ball at Mrs Casement's, Calcutta

Details

William Prinsep (1794-1874)
A fancy dress ball at Mrs Casement's, Calcutta
inscribed 'A fancy dress ball at Mrs Casements, myself (W.P.) the Chinaman.' (lower left) and further inscribed with the names of the other guests 'Mrs Paton/old R A Winter/Archie/Lady Casement/Cap Gilespie/WP/MP/.../.../Mrs Longeville/...'
pencil, pen and black and brown ink
9¼ x 131/8 in. (23.5 x 33.3 cm.)

Provenance

Paul Walter.

Literature

P. Pal and V. Dehejia, From Merchants to Emperors, London, 1986, p. 69, pl. 60.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

This drawing is similar in size and medium to a sketchbook drawing in the India Office Library of Mrs. Casement's celebrated party of 14 February 1823. Fancy dress balls were a popular form of amusement amongst the Anglo-Indian community and Prinsep has drawn himself dressed as a Chinaman.

William Prinsep was part of a large family of artists who worked in India. He was the fifth son of John Prinsep and brother of Thomas Prinsep (see lot 240). He arrived in Calcutta in 1817 and became a pupil of George Chinnery (1774-1852).

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