François Balthazar Solvyns:
The Etchings Online
A Collection of Two Hundred and Fifty Coloured Etchings: Descriptive of the Manners, Customs and Dresses of the Hindoos. Calcutta, 1796, 1799.
The Costume of Indostan [pirated edition]. London: Edward Orme [1804-05], 1807. [60 engravings after Solvyns's Calcutta etchings]
Les Hindoûs. 4 vols. Paris: Chez L'Auteur, 1808-1812. [288 plates & 4 title pages]
The complete Solvyns etchings--250 from the Calcutta edition; 60 plates from the pirated Orme edition; and 292 etchings from Les Hindoûs--are here reproduced online following the organization of Robert L. Hardgrave, Jr., A Portrait of the Hindus: Balthazar Solvyns & the European Image of India 1760-1824 (Oxford University Press and Mapin Publishing, 2004). Etchings of each subject portrayed are listed under the plate title in A Portrait of the Hindus, with page numbers for the descriptive text in the book, both Solvyns's description and Hardgrave's Commentary. Plates are identified for the Calcutta edition (following the numbering in Solvyns's 1799 Catalogue, with titles as in the labels below each plate) as Calcutta: Section, Number; for The Costume of Indostan as Orme: Number; and for Les Hindoûs as Paris: Volume, Section (livraison), Number. Note that large format plates in the Calcutta edition are unnumbered and precede each section. Thus for the portrait of the Oriya Brahmin, the entry is:
17. Oriya, Orissa Brahmin (pp. 162-63).
Calcutta: Sec. I, No. 5.
Orme: 1.
Paris: I.1.6.
As most users of this website may not have the font software for Indian diacritical marks, the titles below are transliterated without diacriticals. In A Portrait of the Hindus, the titles, as well as other Indian words, appear with diacritical marks.
All prints are from the collection of Robert L. Hardgrave, Jr., unless otherwise noted, and may not be reproduced without the owner's permission.
Solvyns's Les Hindoûs
Etching: Brahmin priest on his way to worship.
Etching: Woman before Calcutta's Kalighat temple.
Etching: Indian at leisure smoking his huka.
Etching: Solvyns, self-portrait, attended by his servants in Calcutta.
Solvyns's Calcutta
1. European Buildings in Calcutta (pp. 134-36).
Calcutta: Large plate before Sec. II.
Paris: III.12.1. Double-plate.
2. A View of Calcutta (p. 237).
Calcutta: Large plate before Sec. XII.
3. Hindu Buildings (pp. 138-39).
Calcutta: Large plate before Sec. III.
4. Kalighat (pp.140-42).
Calcutta: Large plate before Sec. VII.
5. Hindu Bazar (pp. 143-44).
Paris: III.11.1. Double-plate.
6. Black Town (pp. 144-45).
Calcutta: Large plate before Sec. X.
7. The Nations Most Known in Hindoostan (pp. 146-47).
8. Hindu Conversations (p. 148).
9. Jugglers (pp. 149-50).
10. Pachisi (pp. 150-51)
11. School (p. 151).
Paris: III.10.1. Double-plate.
12. Bengali Road (152-53).
Calcutta: Large plate before Sec. VI.
Paris: III.8.1. Double-plate.
Castes and Occupations
Brahmins
13. Srotriya Brahmin (pp. 156-58).
14. Kanauji Brahmin (pp. 158-59).
15. Drabir Brahmin (pp. 160-61).
16. Brajbasi Brahmin (p. 161).
17. Oriya, Orissa Brahmin (pp. 162-63).
18. Hindu Raja (pp. 164-65).
19. Raja in Full Dress (pp. 166-67).
20. Kshatriya (pp. 167-68).
21. Vaisya (p. 169).
22. Sudra (pp. 170-71).
23. Daibik. Astrologer (pp. 171-72)
24. Bhat. Genealogist (pp. 173-74).
25. Vaidya. Physician (pp. 174-75).
26. Kayastha. Writer (pp. 176-77).
27. Jugi. Weaver (pp. 177-78)
28. Ahir. Milkman (p. 179).
29. Casadhoba. Agriculturalist (p. 180).
30. Casakaibarta. Agriculturalist (p. 181).
31. Agari. Cultivator (pp. 182-83).
32. Barai. Betel Cultivator (p. 184).
33. Tanti. Weaver (pp. 185-86).
34. Sakhari. Conch Shell-Cutter (pp. 187-88).
35. Kamar. Blacksmith (pp. 188-89).
36. Kumar. Potter (pp. 190-91).
37. Kansari. Coppersmith (pp. 191-92).
38. Sonar Baniya. Money-Changer (pp. 192-93).
39. Halwai. Confectioner (p. 194).
40. Mayara. Confectioner (p. 195).
41. Gandha Baniya, Gandhabanik. Grocer (pp. 196-97).
42. Tili. Shop-Keeper (pp. 197-98).
Palanquin
Bearers
43. Palanquin Bearers of the Oriya Caste (pp. 200-01).
44. Palanquin Bearers of the Rawani Caste (pp. 202-03).
45. Dulia. Palanquin Bearer (pp. 203-04).
46. Jaliya Bearers (p. 204).
47. Goala. Cow-Herd (pp. 205-06).
48. Rajput. Soldier (p. 207).
49. Rawat/Raut. Soldier (p. 208).
50. Brajbasi. Guard (209-10).
51. Sikh (pp. 210-13).
52. Maratha. Soldier (pp. 213-14).
53. Mali. Flower-Seller (p. 215).
54. Chutar. Carpenter (pp. 216-17).
55. Dhoba. Washerman (pp. 217-18).
56. Dandi. Boatman (pp. 218-19).
57. Jaliya. Fisherman (pp. 219-20).
58. Kalu. Oil Man (p. 221).
59. Kapali. Rope-Maker (p. 222).
60. Cunari. Lime-Worker (p. 223).
61. Sunri. Distiller (p. 224).
62. Siuli. Toddy-Tapper (p. 225).
63. Nai, Napit. Barber (pp. 226-27).
64. Kan. Singer (pp. 227-28).
65. Mal. Snake-Catcher (pp. 228-30).
66. Sapuriya. Snake-Charmers (pp. 230-32).
Paris: II.8.1. Double-plate.
67. Patua. Painter (pp. 232-33).
68. Dom. Basket-Maker (pp. 234-35).
69. Pod. Laborer (p. 236).
70. Muci. Leather-Worker (p. 237).
71. Hari. Scavenger (p. 238).
72. Murdasho. Remover of Dead Bodies (pp. 239-40).
73. Kaora. Swineherd (pp. 240-41).
74. Sadgop. Warehouse Keeper (pp. 241-42).
75. Tamuli. Pan-seller (p. 242).
76. Bauri. Bearer and Grass-Cutter (p. 243).
77. Baiti. Mat-Maker (p. 243).
78. Bediya. Snake-Catcher (244).
79. Bagdi. Laborer (pp. 244-45).
80. Nikari or Machhua. Fishmonger (pp. 245).
81. Pakmara. Bird-Catcher (pp. 245-46).
Dresses of Hindu Men and of Hindu Women
82. A Man of Distinction in his Family Dress (pp. 248-49).
83. A Man of Inferior Rank (p. 249).
84. A Man of Low Rank (p. 250).
85. Bahelia. Soldier (pp. 251-52).
86. A Sarkar Dressed in a Kurta (pp. 252-53).
87. A Woman of Distinction (pp. 253-54).
88. A Woman of Inferior Rank (p. 255).
89. A Woman of Low Rank (p. 256).
90. Goalini. Milkmaid (p. 257).
91. Aghori. Female Ascetic (pp. 258-59).
92. A Woman in Full Dress (p. 260).
93. Ramjani. Dancing Girl (pp. 261-62).
94. Hijra. Eunuch (pp. 263-64).
95. Sepoys. Soldiers (pp. 265-67).
96. Balak. Dancing Boy (pp. 267-68).
97. Brajbasi in Military Accoutrement (p. 269).
98. Fisherwoman (p. 269).
Servants of the European Household in Calcutta
99. Banian. Chief Servant Comptroller (pp. 274-75).
100. Sarkar. Steward (pp. 275-76).
101. Jamadar. Head Servant (p. 277).
102. Chobdar or Asa-sotabardar. Mace-bearer (p. 278).
103. Sotobardar. Staff-Carrier (p. 279).
104. Khansama. House Steward (pp. 279-80).
105. Dwarban. Porter (p. 281).
106. Sardar. Valet (pp. 282-83).
107. Khidmatgar. Table Servant (pp. 283-84).
108. Hukabardar. Huka-bearer (pp. 284-85).
109. Kharacbardar. Marketing Servant (p. 285).
110. Chaunribardar. Whisk-Bearer (p. 286).
111. Bhisti. Water-Carrier (pp. 287-88).
112. Dhobi, Dhoba. Washerman (pp. 288-89).
113. Makhanwala. Butter-Man (p. 289).
114. Rotiwala. Bread-Maker (p. 290).
115. Darzi. Tailor (p. 291).
116. Khalasi. Sailor, Workman (p. 292).
117. Coachman (p. 293).
118. Sais. Groom (p. 294).
119. Ghasyara. Grass-Cutter (p. 295).
120. Masalci. Torch-Bearer (p. 296).
121. Doriya. Dog-Keeper (p. 297).
122. Caukidar. Watchman (pp. 197-98).
123. Harkara. Messenger (pp. 298-99).
