Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.8447
Looking for a special gift? Buy a print of this image.
Indian cobra
Date
1872
Creator
Annada Prasad Bagchi (1849 - 1905, Indian) , Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting left): 291mm
width (painting left): 172mm
height (painting right): 289mm
width (painting right): 172mm
width (painting left): 172mm
height (painting right): 289mm
width (painting right): 172mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Herpetological study of two Indian cobra specimens, Naja naja, here referred to as Naja tripudians, and Khoyah gokurah [left] and Dudia kurrees [right]. Viewed from behind, showing their head in-profile and hood marks. The outline of a third specimen, as seen from above, is just visible in the centre of the board.
Inscribed on the left-hand side: ‘NAJA TRIPUDIANS./ Khoyah Gokhurah [with the ‘h’ scored out] from Delhi/ From Life./ Drawn by Annada Prasad Bagchi, Student. Govt. Sch: of Art Calcutta’ and on the right hand side: ‘NAJA TRIPUDIANS./ Dudia Khurish [corrected to ‘Kurrees’] Gokhurah from Calcutta/ From Life/ Drawn by Annada Prasad Bagchi, Student. Govt. Sch: of Art Calcutta’.
With further pencil annotation ‘Plate 8 / Plate 9 might come in here’. Pencil annotations believed to be in Joseph Fayrer’s hand.
From MS/628, a set of paintings and drawings executed by students of the Government School of Art, Kolkata, for Joseph Fayrer’s The Thanatophidia of India. Later published as plate 6 of this text.
Annada Prasad Bagchi (1849-1905), Indian artist, co-founder of the Kolkata Art Studio in 1878.
Sir Joseph Fayrer, first baronet, (1824-1907), surgeon and author, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1877. Fayrer worked in India between 1850 and 1872 and is best known for The Thanatophidia of India, a study of venomous snakes, illustrated by members of the Kolkata School of Art and published by the colonial government.
Inscribed on the left-hand side: ‘NAJA TRIPUDIANS./ Khoyah Gokhurah [with the ‘h’ scored out] from Delhi/ From Life./ Drawn by Annada Prasad Bagchi, Student. Govt. Sch: of Art Calcutta’ and on the right hand side: ‘NAJA TRIPUDIANS./ Dudia Khurish [corrected to ‘Kurrees’] Gokhurah from Calcutta/ From Life/ Drawn by Annada Prasad Bagchi, Student. Govt. Sch: of Art Calcutta’.
With further pencil annotation ‘Plate 8 / Plate 9 might come in here’. Pencil annotations believed to be in Joseph Fayrer’s hand.
From MS/628, a set of paintings and drawings executed by students of the Government School of Art, Kolkata, for Joseph Fayrer’s The Thanatophidia of India. Later published as plate 6 of this text.
Annada Prasad Bagchi (1849-1905), Indian artist, co-founder of the Kolkata Art Studio in 1878.
Sir Joseph Fayrer, first baronet, (1824-1907), surgeon and author, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1877. Fayrer worked in India between 1850 and 1872 and is best known for The Thanatophidia of India, a study of venomous snakes, illustrated by members of the Kolkata School of Art and published by the colonial government.
Transcription
Object history
These artworks were presented to the Royal Society on 8 January 1874 by Joseph Fayrer and acknowledged shortly after at a meeting of Council: ‘Read a letter from Dr. Fayrer, offering his collection of original drawings of the Poisonous Snakes of India to the Royal Society. Resolved - That Dr. Fayrer’s offer be accepted, and that the best thanks of the President and Council be returned to him for his gift.’ [Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, vol. 4, 1870-1877, p.204, 15 January 1874.]
Related fellows
Joseph Fayrer (1824 - 1907, British) , Surgeon
Associated place
