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Depictions of a Indian spotted owlet and a Indian white-eye 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 Indian spotted owlet and a Indian white-eye 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 watercolor shows two small birds perched on branches. The spotted owlet’s round eyes and speckled feathers pop against the white of the white-eye bird. Tiny leaves and berries add life to the scene. The artist used soft colors and fine brushwork to bring these birds to life. The birds face different directions, as if listening to something we can’t hear. You can almost feel the quiet of an Indian forest at dawn. This style was common in India in the early 1800s. Look for more of these at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

Two watercolor illustrations from 1820 depict an Indian spotted owlet and an Indian white-eye, both native to northern India. The works were presented in 1929 by Robert Scott Greenshields, a member of the Indian Civil Service who served in Bengal and Assam from 1879 to 1910.

Read the full account in the museum source.