Remains of the Gardens of Vizir Ali near Patna

1830

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism Early 19th Century Landscape Allahabad

Dominant colour

Remains of the Gardens of Vizir Ali near Patna is a 1830 by Robert Captain Smith, a Romanticism work, depicting Allahabad, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Robert Captain Smith
When & what style?: 1830 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This drawing shows an Indian landscape from the early 1800s. Captain Robert Smith made it while traveling with the British army. It fits the Romantic style, which often highlighted nature and distant places. Smith wasn’t a pro artist—he did this as a hobby while posted in India. His careful pencil work catches details of ruins and plants near Patna. Try looking up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.

The story of this work

Overview

The drawing depicts the ruins of the Gardens of Vizir Ali, situated near Patna, rendered in pencil and watercolour. It was produced as part of an unpublished two-volume *Pictorial Journal of Travels in Hindustan* (1828–1833) by Captain Robert Smith, a retired officer of the 44th (East Sussex) Regiment. The work forms one of 65 detached and mounted illustrations from Smith’s travels along the Ganges and visits to cities including Delhi, Agra, and Lucknow. The drawing was later donated to a collection by W. M. Biden in 1915.

Read the full account in the museum source.