James Forbes
The Cobra de Capello, Naga, or hooded snake of Hindostan (1773)
Engraved by W. Hooker after a drawing by James Forbes
Original Aquatint (hand-coloured) published between 1813-1835
28 x 21 cms / 11 x 8.5” app.
Non-exportable.
(The work will be shipped without a frame. Framing is available on request.)
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With an ever-growing global interest in the Company School and the allied art styles of the colonial period - we launch a series of curations featuring vintage prints from this period - signaling a new direction for the Red Earth collection. Who better to start with than James Forbes, one of the earliest British artists, whose musings of the natural world are capable of leaving an indelible mark on your mind - and adding life and colour to any room.
James Forbes (1749–1819) was a British artist and writer, employed by the East India Company, and lived in India from 1765 to 1784. His notes and sketches concerned varied aspects of Indian life, from its natural world to architecture. These illustrations are extracted from his iconic work Oriental Memoirs (editions published between 1813-1835), focusing on his visual experiences of India, but also including observations on parts of Africa and South America.
Description of the Illustration from the book:
"The Cobra de Capello, Naga, or hooded snake of Hindostan
The Serpent represented in this engraving is not of the largest size of the Coluber Naga. The drawing was made from the Spectacle or Hooded Snake, mentioned in the memoirs to have killed the market-woman in the bazar at Bombay. The spots and colours vary in this class of serpents, particularly in the spectacle marks in the expanded hood. The Cobra de Capello selected for this drawing was one of the most common, and one of the highest coloured of its kind."
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Condition Report: In good condition, no tears. Some discolouration and stains in the work, as are clearly visible in the images.