NHD5/753-764

Wallich Collection

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NHD5/753-764; NHD2/304

Thirteen watercolour drawings of birds, mammals and an insect from India, Nepal and Burma; bound in a volume measuring 21 by 14 inches, collected by Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854). See Archer's Natural History Drawings in the India Office Library, pp.23-5, 41-3.

Nos.757-9 and No.304 were made during Wallich's plant-collecting expedition to Nepal in 1820-1. No.759 is inscribed, 'Drawn from a specimen in the possession of the honbl. E. Gardner, Nepul 1821. Description & copy of this drawg. sent down to Maj. Gen. Hardwicke.' Hardwicke and Wallich were great friends. No.304 is a copy of this. Two duplicates, Nos.757 and 758 (inscribed 'Cervus Wallichianus Cuv') , portray the ‘Cervus wallichii’ which was seen in captivity by Wallich at Kathmandu. No.758 appears to be from his own collection. A similar stag was later sent to Barrackpore and described by Cuvier who had been sent a drawing from there.

Six other drawings were made on his expeditions to Burma in 1826 and 1827 (Nos.753, 754, 760-3.). In 1826 he visited Prome, Ava, Rangoon and the Irrawaddy valley, and in 1827 Amherst, Moulmein, Martaban, Rangoon and Tenasserim. No.753 inscribed 'Prome, 1826'; No.754 'Amherst'; No.760 'Drawn by Vishnupersaud at the palace at Ava in Novemb. 1826. It is a very faithful representn.'; No.761 'On the Attran R., Martaban. See Attran Report'; No.762 'Found among the ravines at Yenangeum on the Irrawaddy. Decr. 1826'; No.763 'From Attran, in Martaban'.

Of the remaining ictures No.764, an insect, is inscribed, 'Sent from the King of Oude with Bayley's letter, 1825'. A picture of a Gayal is attributed to Vishnu Prasad (No.755), while No.756 is a drawing of the same specimen by a Mr. Berg Wolff, 'Drawn by Mr. Berg Wolff from the same Gayal which Vishnpersaud drew'.

With the exception of No.756, all the drawings are probably by Bishnu Prasad, one of the Company's draughtsmen employed at the Calcutta Botanic Garden who regularly went on tour with Wallich.

These drawings were part of a large collection of natural history specimens which reached the Library on 7th October 1828. The Day Book records the accession: 'Recd from Baggage Warehouse per Orient, Dr. N. Wallich's collection of natural Curiosities'.

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NHD5/753-764

Twelve watercolour drawings of 2 birds, 9 mammals (including 2 duplicates) and 1 insect from India, Nepal and Burma; bound in a volume measuring 21 by 14 inches, collected by Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854). See Archer's Natural History Drawings in the India Office Library, pp.23-5, 41-3.