Trichinopoly, Tamil Nadu, South India

Details

Edward Lear (1812-1888)
Trichinopoly, Tamil Nadu, South India
inscribed, dated and numbered '(687)/6.15 AM. to 8.AM./Trichinopoly.' (lower left) and further inscribed with the artist's colour notes
pencil, pen and brown ink and watercolour
127/8 x 21½ in. (32.7 x 54.7 cm.)

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Sale room notice

Please note the dimensions should read 127/8 x 21½ in. (32.8 x 54.7 cm.) and not as stated in the catalogue.

Lot Essay

Lear visited India and Ceylon as a guest of his friend Thomas George Baring, Earl of Northbrook and Viceroy and Governor-General of India, 1872-6, from November 1873 until January 1875. He was in Ceylon for just under a month, from November to December 1874.

Trichinopoly is a natural harbour on the north-east coast of Ceylon, dominated by Fort Frederick which was built on the site of a great Tamil temple destroyed by the Portugese in 1622. A finished watercolour based on this sketch and dated 1874 and 1877 was sold at Sotheby's, London, 23 November 1967, lot 35, illustrated.

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