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South Asian Art


The Royal Asiatic Society has a rich collection of art documenting histories and cultural traditions from all over South Asia.

[RAS 01.005] A Brahminy Bull

RAS 01.005. A Brahminy bull, ca. 1806. Oil on canvas: 42 x 57 cm. Presented by Richard Clarke, 7 July…


[RAS 01.007-01.008] Jamsetjee Bomanjee (1756-1821) and Nourojee Jamsetjee (1774-1860), shipbuilders

RAS 01.007-01.008 Jamsetjee Bomanjee (1756-1821) and Nourojee Jamsetjee (1774-1860), Parsi master shipbuilders. Ca. 1830. By an unidentified artist, J. Dorman…


[RAS 01.014] Madhu Rao Narayan, the Maratha Peshwa, with Nana Fadnavis and attendants

RAS 01.014 Madhu Rao Narayan, the Maratha Peshwa, with Nana Fadnavis and attendants, 1792. Oil on canvas: 228 x 190…


[RAS 010.001] Tomb of Muhammad son of Ibrahim Adil Shah II

[RAS 010.001] Tomb of Muhammad son of Ibrahim Adil Shah II, Bijapur, 12 December 1823. Inscribed on the front in…


[RAS 010.002] Tomb of Sheikh Latifu’llah Qadiri

[RAS 010.002] Tomb of Sheikh Latifu’llah Qadiri, Bijapur, 14 January 1825. Inscribed on the front in ink: View of the…


[RAS 010.003] Panorama of Bijapur

Click to enlarge.  [RAS 010.003] A panorama of Bijapur, 17 January 1825. Inscribed on the front in ink: An original…


[RAS 015.001] March through the Kherigarh Pass

[RAS 015.001] March through the Kherigarh Pass, Kumaun, ca. 1814. Inscribed on the front in pencil: The Chereegaty Pass […]….


[RAS 015.003] Gurkha stockade

[RAS 015.003] Gurkha stockade near Bettiah, Bihar, 1814. Inscribed on the reverse in ink: No 16 by Lt J Harris…


[RAS 015.004] View near Amowa

[RAS 015.004] View near Amowa, Bihar, 1814 Inscribed on reverse in ink: No 17 Sketch of the country near Amowah…


[RAS 015.005] Gurkha stockade

[RAS 015.005] Gurkha stockade near Bettiah, Bihar. 1814. Inscribed on the reverse in ink: AD 1814 Stockade & Himalah range…


[RAS 015.006] Gurkha stockade

[RAS 015.006] Gurkha stockade near Bettiah, Bihar, 1814. Inscribed on the reverse in ink: ‘Sketch taken on the Bettiah frontier…


[RAS 015.007] Pre-Asokan Pillar

[RAS 015.007] The pre-Asokan pillar at Araraj, north Bihar, 1814. Inscribed on the reverse in ink: No 20 Amowah, north…


[RAS 015.012C] View of Hatras

[RAS 015.012C] View of the fort of Hatras, Rajasthan, 1817. In 1817 Marquess Hastings ordered an attack of this fort…


[RAS 015.013] Fort of Thalner

[RAS 015.013] Fort of Thalner, Khandesh, ca, 1817 Inscribed on the reverse in ink: ‘Sketch of the Fort of Taulnier…


[RAS 015.017] Fort near Jaipur

[RAS 015.017] Fort near Jaipur, Rajasthan, 1818 Inscribed on the front in ink: ‘West view of Mootes Dungree near Jeypoor…


[RAS 015.051] Muslim domed tomb

[RAS 015.051] Landscape view with Muslim domed tomb, ca. 1819 Watercolour: 13 x 17 cm By George Chinnery. Donated by Major-General…


[RAS 015.052] Landscape with Muslim domed tomb

[RAS 015.052] Landscape with Muslim domed tomb, 1819 Inscribed in ink on the reverse: Geo Chinnery 1819. Watercolour: 12 x…


[RAS 015.065] Indian Palanquin

[RAS 015.065] ‘Mohopah or Hindostanee Palanquine’ Part of an album of 36 watercolours and drawings illustrating costumes, customs, and castes…


[RAS 015.066] Cavalry Trooper

[RAS 015.066] ‘A Jewaun or Trooper belonging to Col. Skinner’s Irregular Cavalry’ Part of an album of 36 watercolours and…


[RAS 015.067] Cavalry Officer

[RAS 015.067] ‘An Officer of Col Gardiner’s irregular Cavalry’ Part of an album of 36 watercolours and drawings illustrating costumes,…


[RAS 015.088] Nepal Sepoy

[RAS 015.088] ‘A Nepaul Sepoy’ Part of an album of 36 watercolours and drawings illustrating costumes, customs, and castes of…


[RAS 015.099] Kali and worshippers

[RAS 015.099] ‘Kali with worshippers in a hall’ Part of an album of 80 paintings depicting religious subjects. By an…


[RAS 015.100] Durga in Procession

[RAS 015.100] ‘An image of the god Durga being carried in a procession Part of an album of 80 paintings…


[RAS 015.145] Muharram ka Imambara

[RAS 015.145] Inscribed: ‘Mohommka Emambeirah’ Part of an album of 36 watercolours and drawings illustrating costumes, customs, and castes of…


[RAS 015.146] Ta’zia

[RAS 015.146] Inscribed: Tazeeah Part of an album of 36 watercolours and drawings illustrating costumes, customs, and castes of India,…


[RAS 018.001] Akbar’s tomb

[RAS 018.001] ‘The gateway of Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra’ Agra or Delhi, ca. 1815. From the collection of James Baillie…


[RAS 018.009] Pietra dura decoration from a Mughal building

[RAS 018.009] ‘Copy of pietra dura decoration from a Mughal building’ Agra or Delhi, ca. 1815. From the collection of…


[RAS 021.001] Temple of Jagannath, Puri, Orissa

Elevation of the Temple of Jagannath, Puri, Orissa. Work of an unidentified Indian artist, ca. 1820. Inscribed on the front…


[RAS 037.004ii] Palace of Ranee Bheem and Pudmundi in Cheetor

‘Palace of Ranee Bheem and Pudmundi in Cheetor’ (Chitor, Udaipur State) Proof engraving after original by Patrick Waugh. From the…


[RAS 037.005i] Interior view in Cheetor

An interior view in Cheetor with the column of victory Engraving after original by Patrick Waugh. From the collection of…


[RAS 037.005] Interior view in Cheetor

An interior view in Cheetor with the column of victory By Patrick Waugh. From the collection of Colonel James Tod….


[RAS 037.021] Citadel of the hill fortress of Komulmer

Citadel of the hill fortress of Komulmer. Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur State ca. 1820. By Patrick Waugh. Inscribed on front in pencil:…


[RAS 037.022] Jain Temple in the fortress of Komulmer

Jain Temple in the fortress of Komulmer. Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur State, ca. 1820. By Patrick Waugh. From the collection of Colonel…


[RAS 037.023] Jain Temple in the fortress of Komulmer

Jain Temple in the fortress of Komulmer. Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur State, ca. 1820. Watercolour by an unknown British artist from the…


[RAS 037.024] Jain Temple in the fortress of Komulmer

Jain Temple in the fortress of Komulmer. Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur State, ca. 1820. Proof engraving of the original by Patrick Waugh….


[RAS 037.084-085] Temple to Mahadeva at Barolli

Outline of a Temple to Mahadeva at Barolli By Ghasi, ca. 1820. Drawn over two sheet. From the collection of…


[RAS 037.086] Temple to Mahadeva at Barolli

Outline of a Temple to Mahadeva at Barolli Titled proof engraving after Ghasi’s original. From the collection of Colonel James…


[RAS 037.092] Temple at Barolli

Remains of an ancient temple at Barolli, Udaipur state. Ca. 1820. From the collection of Colonel James Tod. See Tod’s…


[RAS 037.094] Temples of Gunga Bheou

Temples of Gunga Bheou. Gangabheva, Mewar, c. 1820. Inscribed top right: vignette. From the collection of Colonel James Tod. See…


[RAS 037.110] Temples of Mynal

Temples of Mynal. Menal, Mewar ca. 1820. From the collection of Colonel James Tod. See Tod’s ‘Annals and Antiquities of…


[RAS 051.001] Snakes and Ladders

Design for the game of Snakes and Ladders. Finely drawn figures with ornamental borders of flowers on gold. By a…


[RAS 053.001] Dara Shikoh

[RAS 053.001] An equestrian portrait of Prince Dara Shikoh as a young man. By Chitarman, ca. 1640. Gouache: 31 x…


[RAS 053.002] Jahangir

[RAS 053.002] Portrait of the Emperor Jahangir seated on a throne holding a sarpesh, ca. 1720-40 Gouache on paper: 21…


[RAS 053.003] Layla and Majnun

[RAS 053.003] Layla reading to Majnun who sits under a tree by a lotus pool, ca. 1720-40. Gouache on paper,…


[RAS 053.005] Visiting an ascetic

[RAS 053.005] Two women in Mughal dress with two female attendants and one male, visiting a female Hindu ascetic in…


[RAS 053.006] Pupil and teacher

[RAS 053.006] A royal pupil and teacher with attendants on a garden terrace; another master and pupil in the foreground….


[RAS 053.007] Aurangzeb spears an elephant

[RAS 053.007] Prince Aurangzeb spears a mast elephant in the presence of his fathers and brothers. Watercolour with some body…


[RAS 053.008] Simurgh carries off baby elephants

[RAS 053.008] The Simurgh carries off baby elephants from a herd while a dragon coiled about the tree breathes flames…


[RAS 053.009] Girl vina player

[RAS 053.009] A lady listening to a girl vina player on a lakeside terrace with her pet fawn and tortoise…


[RAS 056.001] Jahangir’s mausoleum at Lahore

Jahangir’s mausoleum at Lahore Possibly by a Mughal artist working at Lahore, ca. 1770. Inscribed in Persian characters with measurements…


[RAS 061.002] Rajput Princesses Killing a Lion

Rajput princesses killing a lion Bundi, Rajasthan ca. 1820 From the collection of Colonel James Tod. Part of a group…


[RAS 062.001] The battle of Haldighati in 1576

The battle of Haldighati in 1576 Udaipur, Rajasthan ca. 1820. Attributed to Chokha. The Battle Haldighati took place on June…


[RAS 064.001] Snakes and Ladders

Design for a game of Snakes and Ladders, probably by an Ajmer artist, ca. 1810 CE. From the collection of…


[RAS 068.004] Wrestlers and Acrobats

Acrobats and wrestlers performing on a hillside Jaipur, ca. 1820-1825 Illustration to the musical mode Desakhya Ragini. From the collection…


[RAS 069.001] Jambudvipa

Jambudvipa, a Jain cosmological representation of the universe Other title: Adhidvipa | Aḍhāī-dvīpa. By a Marwar artist (Pandit Tilokacanda Dayacanda?),…


[RAS 074.001] Tirumala Nayak’s Palace

Tirumala Nayak’s palace, Madura By an Indian artist, ‘Alaghery Sawrey Naig’. Watermarked 1824. Madura, ca. 1825. Presented to the Royal…


[RAS 074.002] Tirumala Nayak’s New Mandapam

Tirumala Nayak’s New Mandapam, Madura. There is a similar work named Tirumala Nayak’s palace, Madura c. 1825 (see 074.001) by…


[RAS 089.009] Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy

Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy (1793-1859) was a Parsi philathropist. Artist: J. Smart, Bombay. Engraver: R.J. Lane Inscribed in ink: ‘My dear…


[RAS 089.018] Shuja-ud-Daula, with ten sons

Shuja-ud-Daula, Nawab of Oudh (reigned 1754-75), with ten sons. Artist: Nevasi Lal or Mihr Chand after original painting by Tilly…


[RAS 090.005] Mosque at Juanpore

‘A Mosque at Juanpore’ Jaunpur, 1802? By Thomas Daniell. Aquatint: Thomas and William Daniell. ‘Oriental Scenery’, III, 9 (Daniell 1795).