Mss Eur C14, ff.45-51

See Kaye no.170. 46 drawings (57 folios); 42 illustrating costumes worn by Hindu and Muhammadan men and women in Bihar, and 4 depicting fishing nets, pounders, musical instruments and pottery. Costume drawings c.1814; ethnographical drawings c.1808 to 1809.

Inscribed with titles in ink.

ff.1-42 water-colour, ff.45-51 pen-and-ink and wash; size of volume 11.75 by 9 ins. Costume drawings approx. 10 by, 8 ins; ff.45-51 approx. 10.75 by 14.5 ins.

6 costume drawings are reproduced in Martin: ff.1& 2 (Martin I, frontispiece), ff.24 & 25 (Martin 1, i), ff.5 ‘&’ 6 (Martin II, ii). The remaining six costume illustrations in Martin (II, frontispiece; III, frontispiece and ii) are missing from the Buchanan MSS. and account for the missing numbers 26-31. They were probably mislaid while being lithographed for Martin. The four ethnographical drawings (ff.45-51) were made during the Dinajapur and Rangpur surveys of 1807-8 and 1808-9 and are reproduced in Martin: f.51 (Martin II, 948), ff.45, 46 (Martin III, 586), ff.47, 48 (Martin III, 592), ff.49-50 (Martin III, 600). The costume drawings were probably acquired by Buchanan about 1814 after the Patna survey was finished. They are executed on paper with 1812 and 1813 water-marks whereas the Patna survey was conducted during 1811 and 1812. It seems probable that Buchanan, having seen sets of paintings by Indian artists, depicting costume and occupations at Patna, ordered a set to be specially prepared for him. Although some of the drawings are part of stock sets (e.g. the milkman and his wife, ff.39, 40), others showing summer and winter dress were probably made to Buchanan's order. The costume paintings are not mentioned in the formal lists of Buchanan's drawings and may well have been added to the collection after the survey reports were completed.