Open full image Pin

Aurangzeb's Mosque on the Ganges river at Benares

George Landseer

1860

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Orientalism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Aurangzeb's Mosque on the Ganges river at Benares is a 1860 paint by George Landseer, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: George Landseer
When & what style?: 1860 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a hazy cityscape along a river, with buildings stacked up a hill. Tall spires rise above flat-roofed structures, and a boat sits on the water’s surface. The colors are muted—mostly browns, grays, and faint blues—with some greenery near the shore. The artist used quick, loose brushstrokes that blur details, giving the scene a dreamy feel. This style was common in studies meant to capture light and atmosphere over perfect lines. Next, check out Impressionism to see how this sketch fits into that movement.

The story of this work

Overview

A broad flight of steps, known as a ghat, descends to the Ganges River in Benares, with Aurangzeb's Mosque visible in the background. The scene depicts a riverside setting where the steps provide access to the water for bathing. Painted by George Landseer, the work is part of a collection of 31 sketches featuring landscapes and figure subjects from northern India. Landseer, an English artist from a family of painters, traveled to India in the late 19th century before returning to England in 1870.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

George Landseer

George Landseer (1829–1878 London) was a British painter. He was the nephew of Sir Edwin Henry Landseer and his father Thomas Landseer was also an artist. He studied at the Royal Academy Schools in 1846 and exhibited at…

See the richer artist page