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Indic paintings
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Collection Details
Indic paintings held at Oriental Collections Central Bodleian [Institution record] |
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Description
of Collection
Content description
A collection of over 900 paintings, with over 830 in the Mughal style and approximately 100 Kalighat paintings. Paintings in the collection date from the 11th to the late 19th century.
History and development
The Bodleian has acquired South Asian paintings from the earliest years of its re-establishment by Sir Thomas Bodley. The first South Asian paintings came to the library in a series of gifts given by Archbishop William Laud between 1635 and 1640 and consist of a set of 18 Ragamala paintings illustrating the mood and sentiment behind the traditional forms of Indian music. The collection continued to grow through the 18th and 19th centuries with a number of purchases and gifts. A collection of Mughal paintings came as part of the bequest of the antiquary and bibliophile Francis Douce in 1834 and the library's holdings were augmented a few years later by paintings from the manuscript collection of the diplomat Sir Gore Ouseley. Mughal paintings and other fine manuscripts from his library were presented to the library in 1859 by Mr. J.B. Elliott, a Bengal civil servant who had purchased them after the diplomat's death in 1844. When the Indian Institute Library came under Bodleian management in 1927, the Bodleian acquired, as part of the Library's collection of manuscripts, a set of 111 Kalighat paintings. These formed part of the original collection of books given to the library by its founder, Sir Monier Monier-Williams in 1883.
Strengths
The collection shows a rich variety of the main types of Indian painting from 11th century Pala dynasty paintings on palm leaf, through imperial and provincial Mughal painting to Kalighat bazaar pictures of the 1880s.
General arrangement and access regulations
Closed access. Those wishing to study the paintings have to make written application to the Keeper of Oriental Books, Ms. Lesley Forbes, prior to any visit to the library.
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Subjects of the
Collection
Regions of AsiaSouth Asia. CountriesIndia, Nepal. SubjectsArts. Names relevant to the collection:- Laud, William, 1573-1645
- Douce, Francis, 1757-1834
- Ouseley, Gore, Sir, 1770-1844
- Elliott, John Bardoe
- Monier-Williams, Monier, Sir, 1819-1899
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Collection Material
and Size of Collection
Material TypesManuscripts. Total size of collectionApproximately 1000 paintings. |
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Collection Management
Information
The collection is being actively developed.Content date range1095 to 1890 AD |
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Collection Catalogue
Information
CatalogueThe collection is described in a number of printed catalogues, handlists and articles, details of which can be found on the Library's web page. | |
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