{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O431928"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O431928/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NF4533/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NF4533/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2022NF4533","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O431928/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O431928","accessionNumber":"1135-1869","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Gate of Purana Qila, Old Delhi","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"William Simpson (1823 - 1899) was a distinguished watercolourist and war artist. Having established his reputation by documenting the Crimean war in 1854, Day and Sons, the London lithography firm, commissioned him to sketch well-known sites in and around Delhi associated with the Revolt of 1857 by Indians against the rule of the British East India Company. \r\n\r\nSimpson arrived in Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1859 and travelled widely. His rapid pencil drawings formed the preparatory studies for his finished watercolours done after his return to London in 1862. His detailed journal, sketches and pictures from India resulted in these highly coloured, evocative, and romantic interpretations of the landscape and architecture.\r\n\r\nSimpson completed the painting of the Bara Darwaza (Big Gate) at the Purana Qila (Old Fort) in 1864. The 16th-century citadel is one of the oldest in Delhi and was believed to have been built under Humayun and Afghan Sher Shah Suri. It has three arched gateways - the Bara Darwaza facing west, which is still in use today illustrated here; the South gate, also known as the Humayun Gate; and the Talaqi Gate, often known as the Forbidden gate. All the gates are double-storeyed sandstone structures flanked by two semi-circular bastion towers decorated with white and coloured-marble inlays and blue tiles. The arched gateways are replete with Rajasthani architectural detailing, including ornate <i>jharokhas</i> (overhanging balconies) and <i>chhatris</i> (pillared pavilions), characteristic of Mughal architecture during the period.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Painting of the Bara Darwaza (Big Gate) at the Purana Qila (Old Fort) in Delhi, India. The double-storeyed sandstone gateway is flanked by two semi-circular bastion towers decorated with marble inlays and blue tiles. The structure is replete with Rajasthani architectural detailing, including ornate jharokhas (overhanging balconies) and chhatris (pillared pavilions), characteristic of Mughal architecture during the 16th century. A local man rides a camel in the foreground.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Simpson, William RI FRGS","id":"A10511"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour painting (technique)","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Watercolours","id":"THES277714"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2022NF4533"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES403505"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1864","earliest":"1864-01-01","latest":"1864-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from Messrs Day and Son Ltd (London) in 1869","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"350","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"250","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"<i>Front </i>- Gate of the Purana Keela - Old Delhi. Wm. Simpson 1864. ","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"<i>Back</i> - 159. Gate of the Purana Keela, Old Delhi. Purana Keela means old fort. It is one of the old Delhi's, and stands about 3 miles south of the present town. One of its names was Ferozeshahabad from Ferozeshah, who was styled the architect from the great number of buildings which he erected, of which this old gate is no doubt one. The double triangle in the spandrels, which is the emblem of a Royal Arch Mason, would seem to indicate that Feroze belonged to that most ancient fraternity. Within the walls there is a small town, and the deserted mosque, which is called by the name of Ferozeshah's mosque, which is without doubt one of the finest specimens of Mohammedan architecture in India. ","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"William Simpson (1823 - 1899), born in Glasgow, was a distinguished watercolourist and war artist. Following a seven-year apprenticeship with a specialist lithographic firm, he moved to London in February 1851 and found employment with Day and Sons. Having established his reputation by documenting the Crimean war in 1854, he was commissioned to sketch well-known sites in and around Delhi associated with the Revolt of 1857 against the rule of the British East India Company. \r\n\r\nSimpson arrived in Calcutta (Kolkata) at the end of October 1859 and travelled extensively. Throughout his life, he kept careful diaries, and his hundreds of sketches and pictures form an invaluable record of his travels. He planned to produce four large volumes with approximately 250 plates to be lithographed as illustrations. He spent seven years on the project – three years making preparatory works and the rest in London working his sketches into finished paintings. His life and work in India resulted in these highly coloured, evocative, and romantic interpretations of the landscape and architecture.\r\n\r\nWhile Simpson was away, Day and Son had been drifting into debt. In 1867, before it finally went into liquidation at the end of the year, Simpson was made a company shareholder as part payment for his work. Two years later, his collection of 250 watercolours were sold as bankrupt stock. The V&A purchased 44 original watercolours from Day & Son, Limited (London) in 1869.  \r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting of gate of Purana Qila, Old Delhi by William Simpson, pencil and watercolour on paper, London, 1864","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Registered File number RF/1869/6716"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["1135-1869"],"accessionNumberNum":"1135","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1869,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-02","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-25","availableToBook":true}}