Lot Essay
D'Oyly arrived in India in 1797 and spent his first years in Calcutta In 1808 he was posted Collector of Dhaka. He later took up the position of Opium Agent in Patna which, owing to the ease of the job, enabled him to devote a great deal of time to his art. He became close friends with Chinnery who instructed D'Oyly in his drawing. It has been suggested that the two European figures in the foreground represent Sir Charles and Lady D'Oyly.