This follows my article in the March Journal "J.Lockwood Kipling Material
at the V&A Museum", where I described the drawings made by Lockwood
including of Indian Craftsmen, and one series relates to the cultivation
and processing of cotton in the state of Maharashtura,all seem dated 1870-72 .
David Page noticed on The British Library website:
http://www.imagesonline.bl.uk/britishlibrary/controller/textsearch?text=kipling&y=8&x=6&start=0
pictures of 4 JLK drawings. I have found these are in the Oriental and
India Office Print Room,
part of a set of 13, all made in Feb/Mar 1872, in pencil & wash, showing
craftsmen and villagers in Khangaum [nowadays spelt Khamgaon and in the
Buldana district of Berar in Maharashtra], entitled:
The Deshmukh, head of village and parganna, seated against a cushion
talking to a peon.
The Patel, another village official, standing with linked fingers, in front
of a village gate.
The Kulkarni, or village accountant, seated writing up his accounts.
The Joshi, or village astrologer, squatting on the ground with a horoscope
in his hand.
The Mahar, or village messenger, leaning on a bamboo staff.
The Mahajan, or moneylender, seated in his house
The Garpagari, a kind of priest, blowing on a black buck horn and holding
a conch shell 'n his right hand.
The Dhobi, or washerman, beating clothes on a stone.
The Hajam, or barber, massaging the head of a customer.
The Sutar, or carpenter, at work.
The Lohar, or blacksmith, hammering, with an assistant working the bellows.
The Bania, or merchant, riding on a pony.
The Mhang, or village musician, beating a drum.
These are an intriguing further set of drawings, of similar style to some
in the V&A; the BL unfortunately has no info as to how they were acquired.
Does anyone know?
Bryan Diamond
May I remind all members of the event at the V&A, SouthKensington, on 22
May (see March Journal, page 5); the curator Dr.Parlett will talk about the
drawings of John Lockwood Kipling made when he was in Bombay, of Indian
crafts and cotton cultivation in the Deccan, and of Indain popular art;
these are the categories (b) and (c) described in my article inn the March
Journal, at pp29-30. I discovered that this material is in the Museum, I
will introduce Dr Parlett who will put it into context in his talk,
illustrated with slides. Some of the original material will be displayed
so that those attending can examine it closely after the talk. A copy
of the 1882 JLK "Memorial" and some other of the sources for my article
will also be tabled.
The talk is in the recently refurbished Seminar Room 1, on an upper floor
of the Henry Cole Wing (Exhibition Road entrance), holding 60 people. We
have to pay for the room and thus to make a £5 charge for the event; to be
sure of a place you should obtain a ticket from Jane Keskar beforehand,
although provided there are places you can pay at the door (please arrive
by 1.50 pm).If you have a ticket please be seated at 2pm.
I hope that those who want to see the mosaic panel of the procession
including Lockwood, on the north face of the courtyard (see my article in
the Journal, Sept 2003), can view this after the meeting (the Garden is at
present being refurbished and I will check re access) . Tea can be
obtained afterwards in the Restaurant on the ground floor.
You can of course spend the whole day in the museum; if you are not
familiar with the Indian exhibits in the Nehru gallery, I do suggest you
view this if you have any time; the later material, of Kipling's period, is
at the north end. The current major exhibition is of the International
Arts & Crafts, well reviewed. The recently opened Architecture gallery is
informative.
I hope to see many of you at this event, and please mention it to anyone
elseho could be interested in it as illustrating 19th century Indian
history and art.
Bryan Diamond
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