Lot Essay
This elegantly illustrated narrative of a voyage through Bijapur and Gulbarga stands out as an exceptionally well-illustrated and comprehensive document of these significant Indian cities, as observed by a British Lieutenant and explorer, Henry Gordon Creed. Creed served as a Lieutenant in the Artillery for the East India Company during the time of his tour. His objective was to conduct an inspection of an area with an exceptionally rich architectural heritage, as he elucidates in his introductory remarks: "We have ... compiled a collection of Picturesque Illustrations of this captivating capital, supplemented with concise and unassuming descriptions of the localities, typically found in the hasty travel diaries of explorers. We conclude the entirety with our summary of the histories of Koolburga and Beejapoor, primarily drawn from the writings of Mahomed Kassim Ferishta."