Chennai: A horse drawn carriage with the scenic backdrop of the St Thomas Mount, the Armenian bridge and depiction of the British setting their foot on the soil of what later became Madras are some of the numerous images to appear on coasters brought out by the Fort St George Museum authorities.
Joining the Madras Day celebrations, the Archaeological Survey of India, which maintains the Fort Museum, has brought out postal covers on Madras Presidency coins. It has also given a new life on coasters to rare paintings of the famous British landscape artists Thomas and William Daniel, who had captured the quintessential life of the Indians in the 18th century through their beautiful depiction.
The Madras Landing and Madras Embarking, capturing the mood of the British landing on the soil and the Indians helping them by towing their boats, a view of the Western Entrance of Fort St.
George and a view of Part of Black Town (near the Fort) are also among the eight aquatints that have been brought out on coasters. Celebrating the 376th birthday of Madras (on Saturday) the ASI and Madras Heritage Lovers Forum brought out a special postal cover with the gold pagoda of
Madras Presidency era dating back to 1807 and other coins of 1755, to commemorate the Founding Day. According to Ms K. Moortheeswari, Deputy Superintending Archaeologist, ASI Fort Museum, the Daniells’ magnificent views of Indian landscapes and antiquities in both oils and aquatint made an immediate impact on the British elite then. Some of these excellent pieces of novelty that were part of the museum exhibits were released as coasters to help people get a deeper insight into the past.
The aquatint that aroused world interest :
The Daniells' magnificent views of Indian landscapes and antiquities in both oils and aquatint (a printmaking technique and variant of etching) made a spontaneous impact on the British elite. The 36-year-old Thomas Daniell and his nephew William, a lad of sixteen, then, sailed out from Gravesend in April 1785, and arrived in Calcutta via China early in 1786, in search of wealthy patrons, and also to explore the sublime, exotic and picturesque India.
They had toured India for days, undauntedly, covering the length and breadth of the country in palanquins, bullock carts, on horseback, by foot and on boat, painting the Oriental Scenery wherever it caught their attention. Their work not only aroused the interests of their fellowmen to travel to India but also caught the attention of the world. Their paintings are displayed at the Fort Museum here, besides which, those of Salt. H. Merke and others are also displayed.
