The East End of the Fort at Mongheer from Select Views in India

Drawn on the spot, in the years 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1783 published London 1785-1788 by Hodges, William (1744-1797).

The fort of Mongheer, on the banks of the river Ganges, was of considerable significance to the British, having previously been an important military outpost for the Moghuls.
Select Views in India... was a pioneering work on the architectural and picturesque splendours of India. It was the result of Hodges' lengthy stay, travelling around India, under Warren Hasting's patronage. Hodges had previously travelled as the artist on Captain Cook's second voyage to Antarctica. Between 1785 and 1794, twenty- five of his oils on India were exhibited at the Royal Academy. Prideaux mentioned that Humboldt's desire to travel was directly inspired by Hodges' Indian views. The plates were published in three separate forms: uncoloured, uncoloured proofs or hand-coloured to resemble the original drawings. Hodges visited Mounheer in the summer of 1781 while staying in Patna - his second trip through Bihar in the company of Warren Hastings. He was clearly impressed by its architectural beauty and wrote 'This building, though not large, is certainly very beautiful: it is square, with pavilions rising from the angles..'. Travels in India during the years 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1783.

Abbey Travel 416 no. 30. J.R. Abbey, Travel in aquatint and lithography 1770-1860 from the library of J.R. Abbey: a bibliographical catalogue. London, 1957.

This plate and items PR000037 and PR000038, also by Hodges, were in the collection of the distinguished scholars, William and Mildred Archer - William Archer, former Keeper Emeritus of the Indian Department of the Victoria and Albert Museum; Mildred Archer, former Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the India Office Library.

Lithograph printed in sepia drawn and engraved by Hodges. A rare 'proof before-letters'. J.R. Abbey's copy is dated 1st September 1787. Approx. 370 x 529mm. (15 x 21ins).