{"product_id":"indian-company-school-group-of-8-indian-bird-paintings-original-1842-watercolour-painting-kd-477","title":"Indian Company School, Group of 8 Indian Bird Paintings in Watercolour – 1842, Mackintosh Provenance","description":"\u003cp\u003eA set of original 1842 watercolour paintings – Indian Company School, Group of 8 Indian Birds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn outstanding set of 8 ornithological Indian Company School paintings. Each is exquisitely painted in watercolour and opaque pigment on cream wove paper, with inscriptions verso.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubjects comprise:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIndian Blossom-headed Parakeet Bird (inscribed verso: 'Parroquete');\u003cbr\u003eIndian Bengal Weaver Bird (inscribed verso: 'Emily M. Mackintosh';\u003cbr\u003eIndian Rufous Treepie Bird (inscribed verso: 'Emily M. Mackintosh, An Indian Bird';\u003cbr\u003eIndian Plum-headed Parakeet Bird (inscribed verso: 'Emily M. Mackintosh, Parraquet \"Rosie[? possibly Roseata]\"';\u003cbr\u003eIndian Sparrowhawk Shikra Bird (inscribed verso: 'Emily M. Mackintosh, A sort of Hawk';\u003cbr\u003eIndian Bush Quail Bird (inscribed verso: 'Emily M. Mackintosh, A Partridge';\u003cbr\u003eIndian White-rumped Shama Bird (inscribed verso: 'Shamah';\u003cbr\u003ePair of Indian Hill Partridges (inscribed verso: 'Emily M. Mackintosh, An upcountry bird'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach sheet approx.: 22.5 x 18.5cm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe collection was originally owned by 'Emily M. Mackintosh', this being inscribed on the back of six of the paintings. This is presumed to be Emily Maria Mackintosh (1833–1916), daughter of Scotsman James Mackintosh (1789–1869) of Banffshire, who made his fortune in India with tea plantations. From the 1820s to 1840s James Mackintosh was resident at Calcutta, West Bengal. Returning to Scotland he bought a property in Peebleshire he called Lamancha. There is a birth certificate accompanying the collection for John Lindoe Mackintosh, born 1914 at Rawal Pindi to John Burn Mackintosh, a nephew of Emily.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural history subjects and India's native flora and fauna became popular amongst Western patrons and collectors in the late 18th and early 19th century. In Lucknow, General Claude Martin provided imported European paper to artists to prepare botanical studies and other natural history works, whilst in Calcutta, Mary, Lady Impey (wife of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in Bengal, Elijah Impey) had a menagerie where she employed artists to paint a variety of animals and birds. Also in Calcutta, Dr William Roxburgh, superintendent of Calcutta Botanical Garden from 1793, appointed local artists to make botanical studies of the specimens in his charge. The efforts of Martin, Impey, Roxburgh and their artists gave rise to a large body of Company Paintings dedicated to natural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompany School paintings of birds not only make for a valuable ornithological record, but also allow for beautiful decorative compositions, with jewel-like colours and fine feather detail.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Somerset \u0026 Wood","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54217658564937,"sku":"KD-477","price":7995.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0930\/4306\/5161\/files\/KD-477.jpg?v=1776434212","url":"https:\/\/somersetandwood.com\/products\/indian-company-school-group-of-8-indian-bird-paintings-original-1842-watercolour-painting-kd-477","provider":"Somerset \u0026 Wood Fine Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}