A Gray heron

Historical period(s)
19th century
School
Company School
Medium
Watercolor on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 58 x 39.3 cm (22 13/16 x 15 1/2 in)
Geography
India
Credit Line
Bequest of Adrienne Minassian
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1999.3
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Album, Painting
Type

Album leaf with painting

Keywords
heron, India, WWII-era provenance
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

For the British men and women who went to India, the study of natural history was both scientific inquiry and fashionable pastime. They trained local artists, often skilled court painters seeking new patronage, to record the country's flora and fauna with scientific precision.

The simple composition of the Gray heron watercolor encourages us to savor the wonderfully varied textures of glossy beak, soft feathers, and scaly legs. If the pencil inscription, which misspells the species name Ardea cinera, indicates that the painting was commissioned by an amateur enthusiast of natural history, the gracefully rendered image attests to the collaboration between a discriminating patron and a gifted artist.

Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use