Opium cultivation scene, Malwa
1862
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1862
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Opium cultivation scene, Malwa is a 1862 paint by William Simpson, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows people working in a field, cultivating opium in Malwa. It's a scene from everyday life in India. The artist's attention to detail is what makes this work interesting - he was known for his rapid pencil sketches. You can learn more about the technique used in this painting at the museum where it's held, the Victoria and Albert Museum.
A woman in a skirt, blouse, and dupatta harvests opium under a banyan tree in Malwa, central India, by making incisions in poppy heads to collect the exuded sticky resin. A farmer attends to oxen nearby as the opium cultivation process unfolds. The scene reflects the region’s long-standing role in opium production, documented by William Simpson during his visits to India in the mid-19th century.
Read the full account in the museum source.
William Simpson drew what he saw during the Crimean War in the 1850s, including sketches of battles and camps in Crimea and Constantinople.
See the richer artist page
