{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O16890"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16890/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU1072/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU1072/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EU1072","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O16890/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O16890","accessionNumber":"IS.52-1963","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"A branch of a mango tree ('Mangifera Indica') bearing unripe fruits","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The pictures made by Indian artists for the British in India are called Company paintings. This one was originally in the collection of Sir Elijah Impey and Lady Impey, who commissioned over 300 pictures in Calcutta between 1777 and 1782. Sir Elijah was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Fort William. He was a man of great intellect and wide-ranging interests. The Impeys were passionately interested in the flora and fauna of India and formed a private menagerie at their house, where they assembled birds and animals. From 1777 they employed three Indian artists to paint their collection.  One of them was the Hindu artist Bhawani Das, who made this picture around 1780.","physicalDescription":"A branch of a mango tree (Mangifera indica) bearing unripe mangoes.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bhawani Das","id":"A2026"},"association":{"text":"painter (artist)","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Indian Company Paintings","id":"THES49045"}],"styles":[{"text":"Company","id":"AAT18959"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2011EU1072"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES406555"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Calcutta","id":"x32018"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1780","earliest":"1775-01-01","latest":"1784-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"65.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"45.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'am. Bhawani Das. In the collection of Lady Impey.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"English and Persian","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"Roman","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"English and Persian; Roman"}],"objectHistory":"Made for Sir Elijah and Lady Impey of Calcutta, c.1780 and along with 63 other bird, animal and plant studies given to the Linnean Society, London. The collection was sold at Sotheby's, London, on 10 June 1963 and this painting was bought by the museum after the auction from Maggs for £33.\r\n\r\nPurchased from Maggs Brothers Ltd, London W1 in 1963.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting; watercolour, a branch of a mango tree bearing unripe mangoes, Calcutta, ca. 1780","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Archer, Mildred. <u> Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period</u> \r\nVictoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992, 98 p ISBN 0944142303\r\n\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Mildred Archer assisted by Graham Parlett, Company Paintings. Indian Paintings of the British Period, Victoria and Albert Museum in association with Mapin Publishing Pvt Ltd, Middletown/London, 1992, catalogue 71, pp. 97-98"},{"reference":{"text":"Arts of Bengal : the heritage of Bangladesh and eastern India : an exhibition organized by the Whitechapel Art Gallery in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum : 9 November-30 December 1979, Whitechapel Art Gallery ..., 12 January-17 February 1980, Manchester City Art Gallery ... . [London]: Whitechapel Art Gallery, [1979] Number: 085488047X (pbk.) :","id":"AUTH339757"},"details":"p.50","free":""}],"production":"Made for Sir Elijah Impey of Calcutta , c.1780.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Trees, Mango trees","id":"x31499"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.52-1963"],"accessionNumberNum":"52","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1963,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":true}}