Description:
Very good copy of this rare book of Indian costume by Captain Robert Smith, 44th RegimentComplete with 44 finely hand-coloured engravings of Indian men and women of all castes
Captain Robert Smith (1792-1882), was a soldier in the British line regiment H.M. 44th (East Essex) Foot, and served in India from 1825-33. He prepared an illustrated diary of Indian views from 1828-33 and drew various panoramas of Indian cities, all now in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
"The representations of Asiatic Costumes composing this collection are engraved from drawings taken during a short residence in India. Most of them were sketched from life; but, to make the series more complate, a few have been copied from drawings by a native artist. The short descriptions annexed to the several figures are chiefly from notes taken on the spot."
Includes a dozen fascinating depictions of dancing girls and boys and musicians from a Nautch party. Girls dance and sing to music from sarangi and tabla drums. The frontispiece shows… Read More