The paintings of India's exotica assembled for the British administrators and businessmen (themselves exotica) served the same purpose as today's photos and videos. While most of the cobras the visitor to India sees now are with snakecharmers or in zoos, these snakes are, without any doubt, completely mesmerizing. The man for whom this life-sized cobra was painted was Major James Nathaniel Rind of the 18th Native Infantry. He was headquartered from 1785 to 1790 in Calcutta, during a period of great production of natural history illustrations for Europeans.

In the Company Manner (2009), SDMA Gallery Rotation

Major James Nathanikal Rind served in India for twenty three years in the East India Company's 18th Native Infantry, and for four years he was headquartered in Kolkata on survey duty. Members of British society in Kolkata isolated themselves in fortified neighborhoods, and many of them passed the time by sketching and collecting samples of local flora and fauna. Just as did Lady Mary Impey, who in the 1770s made this typical British practice fashioinable in India- three paintings from her albums are also on view in this gallery- Nathaniel Rind commishioned Indian artists to produce large-scale paintings of plants and animals that he compiled into albums.

The hooded combra is one of the most feared and venerrrated animals of India. Along with the botanical paintings on view at the right, Fruit and Leaves of One of the Bignoniaceae, which was also commissioned by Major Rind, this depiciton of the cobra reveals the patron's taste for elegant design and bold compositions.

Sonya Quintanilla (2014) Quebec
A cobra (Maja tripudians) with hood spread
From the Nathaniel Rind Album
Calcutta, India, 1785-1789
Opaque watercolor on paper. 65.5 x 45.2 cm
Edwin Binney 3rd Collection, 1990.1361

This life-sized cobra was painted for Major James Nathaniel Rind of the 18th Native Infantry, who served in India for twenty-three years. For four of those years he was headquartered in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on survey duty during the period of greatest production of natural history illustrations for Europeans. Members of British society in Calcutta isolated themselves in fortified neighborhoods, and many of them passed the time by sketching and collecting samples of local flora and fauna. Just as Lady Mary Impey had in the 1770s, Nathaniel Rind commissioned Indian artists to produce large-scale paintings of plants and animals that he compiled into albums. The paintings of India's exotica assembled for the British administrators and businessmen of the East India Company served a similar purpose as today's photos and videos.

The hooded cobra is one of the most feared and venerated animals of India. Along with the botanical painting Fruit and Leaves of One of the Bignoniaceae, which was also commissioned by Major Rind, this depiction of the cobra reveals the patron's taste for elegant design and bold compositions.
Last Updated: 9/5/2017