Who painted A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay?

A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay was painted by John Griffiths in 1876.

Where can I see A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay?

A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay?

A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay

John Griffiths , 1876

A Drink by the Way: Street Scene in Bombay is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist John Griffiths. It dates from 1876 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The watercolor, signed and dated J.

About this work

Overview

The watercolor, signed and dated J. Griffiths, Bombay 1876, portrays a modest street tableau in the Indian city of Bombay. Set before a weathered stone façade, a shirtless man holds a large black vessel from which water is being poured into the cupped hands of a squatting figure wearing a vivid pink head covering. The composition captures a brief, everyday exchange in an urban setting.

Subject & Meaning

The work records a simple act of hospitality: the transfer of water, a vital commodity, between two passers‑by. The contrast between the standing, exposed male figure and the seated individual, whose headgear suggests a distinct cultural identity, hints at social interactions across class or community lines within the bustling colonial port city.

Technique & Style

Griffiths employs a muted palette of soft hues and employs loose, fluid brushwork to suggest the hazy light and dust of a hot street. The rendering of the stone wall, barred window, and distant alley is sketchy, allowing the figures and their gestures to dominate the visual narrative while conveying a sense of movement and immediacy.

History & Provenance

Created in 1876, the piece bears the artist’s signature and location, confirming its production during the British colonial period in Bombay. The watercolor entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is catalogued among other 19th‑century works documenting everyday life in colonial India.