Seventy-two Specimens of Castes in India (1837) (36 works) (2 part)

23 August 2012

3 864

This illustrated manuscript made in southern India in 1837 consists of 72 full-color hand-painted images of men and women of the various castes and religious and ethnic groups found in Madura, India at that time. Each drawing was made on mica, a transparent, flaky mineral which splits into thin, transparent sheets. As indicated on the presentation page, the album was compiled by the Indian writing master at an English school established by American missionaries in Madura, and given to the Reverend William Twining.

The manuscript shows Indian dress and jewelry adornment in the Madura region as they appeared before the onset of Western influences on South Asian dress and style. Each illustrated portrait is captioned in English and in Tamil, and the title page of the work includes English, Tamil, and Telugu.

This illustrated manuscript, produced in southern India in 1837, consists of 72 hand-colored images of men and women of various castes, religious and ethnic groups living in Madura, India at that time. As stated on the title page, the album was compiled by an Indian spelling teacher teaching at the English school founded by American missionaries at Madura and given to the Rev. William Twining. The manuscript presents the traditional clothing and jewelry of Madura (a region of India) as it existed before the West began to influence South Asian clothing and style. Each portrait is accompanied by a caption in English and Tamil, and the title page of the work contains inscriptions in English, Tamil and Telugu.