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Depictions of a Domestic pigeon and Indian grackle of Northern India

Unknown

1820

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Patna School of Painting Romanticism Early 19th Century Animal

Dominant colour

Depictions of a Domestic pigeon and Indian grackle of Northern India is a 1820 paint by Unknown, a Patna School of Painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1820 · Patna School of Painting
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows two birds side by side: a gray pigeon and a dark grackle with a long tail. The artist used soft brushes to paint fine feathers and shadows. Notice how the grackle’s glossy black neck stands out against the muted colors. These birds aren’t just decorative—they’re real species from northern India. The artist worked around 1820, when British collectors often asked for pictures like this. Look up this painting at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

Two watercolor studies depict a Domestic pigeon and an Indian grackle, both observed in Northern India. The works were created in 1820 by an unknown artist. They were later presented to a collection in 1929 by Robert Scott Greenshields, a member of the Indian Civil Service in Bengal and Assam from 1879 to 1910.

Read the full account in the museum source.