Last year's Quad cover: a quest

In 2007, Deepak Roy '69 sent us copies of two prints he had purchased on eBay. With his permission, we used one for last year's Quadrangle cover. We thought there would be discussion among alumni about where exactly the viewpoint of the picture was (that was what we argued about in the department), but an even more interesting train of enquiries ensued. Below are extracts from correspondence with two alumni.

From: Craig Davidson '74

Hi - I was surprised to see the engraving of Alter Ridge on the cover of the latest copy of the Quadrangle. I have a copy of the same engraving hanging in our house, though it is not colored. Along the bottom of the print is "J. M. W. Turner, R.A." "Drawn from nature by G. F. White, Esq." "J. B. Allen". And the title "MUSSOOREE AND THE DHOON, FROM LANDOUR, Himalayan Mountains, India". A little research reveals that the engraving is: "MUSSOOREE AND THE DHOON, FROM LANDOUR, HIMALAYAS: steel engraving, by J. B. Allen, from an original drawing by J. M. W. Turner, R. A., based upon a sketch from life by G. F. White, Esq. Published by Fisher, Son & Co., London and Paris, 1845."

From: Pete Wildman

Hi Craig - That's fascinating information. Turner is one of the giants of English painting and laid the foundations of Impressionism. He is most renowned as painter in oils. I'm no art historian, but from the little I know I would have thought that this was unlikely to have worked on this. He certainly never visited India. I wonder where he comes into the picture? Maybe he gave his name to engravings for marketing? It would be interesting to trace this through.

From: Craig Davidson '74

Pete - We did a little digging on this subject. You are right, Turner never visited India, but he did a series of seven watercolours. All the ones I have found listed in catalogues are the same size, 5 1/4" x 8". I would love to see an original, his larger works are the more popular ones, and I have trouble seeing all his energy confined to such a small space.

In a Christies sale catalog from 2006 of another Turner work, from the collection of Bicknell, they mention Bicknell was a contemporary collector of Turner's works, noting his first purchases were made in 1832, from Christies, "comprised two watercolours of Himalayan subjects illustrating Lieutenant George Francis White's Views in India based on White's own sketches. G. F. White was a Lieutenant in the 31st Regiment of the British Army, stationed in India." Turner was reportedly commissioned by White's publisher to prepare the engravings for publication. http://www.finerareprints.com/travel/ white/vol_travel_white_4979.htm

All other information we could gather, from sources such as the Tate online, indicate the series of paintings was produced c 1835. Lt. White produced a large volume of "Drawings from life" seven of which were used by Turner for the diminutive paintings. A book was published in 1838 with a collection of White's drawings, so it was well known.

The Tate lists 3 works of this image. The original is in a private collection and they do not have an image. The other two are engravings. The engravings were produced in 1836 according to the Tate. Their catalog numbers are: T05177 http://www.tate.org.uk/ servlet/ViewWork?workid=16741&searchid=20799 Mussooree and the Dhoon from Landour 1836 and T06291 http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork? workid=20019&searchid=20799&currow=3&maxrows=3 Mussooree and the Dhoon, from Landour, Himalaya Mountains, India, engraved by J.B. Allen published 1836. The first is one of the full series listed as "Views in India (T05176- T05182; complete)" the second is the version we have.

From: Leo Teller '48

Dear Editorial Team - When I saw the cover of the last issue of the Quadrangle, I instantly recognized it as one of the pictures in a book which I have. You may be interested in quoting some of the text that goes with it in one of the future issues of the Quad.. The book is "Eternal Himalaya - including the full text of the travels of George Francis White, 1825." The picture I recognized, opp. Page 108, is called "Mussooree and the Dhoon, from Landour, 1825".

"The summit of (Landour) ridge is elevated eight thousand feet above the level of the sea, and from its utmost height a glorious burst of view is obtained: the plains below stretching far and wide, and bounded either side by the Jumna and the Ganges, which, at the distance of forty miles apart, pursue their tortuous career, until their silver traces are lost in the meeting skies.

"Mussooree, the site of a station which is now one of the chief resorts of the visitors from the plains, stands at an elevation of seven thousand five hundred feet above the level of the sea, and is situated on the southern face of the ridge, called the Landour range.. There are no billiard tables or reading rooms at present in Mussooree, which is composed entirely of private houses.. The bazaar, though small and not tenanted by a single European tradesman, is well supplied with necessaries, and even luxuries, wine and beer excepted.

"The traveler who comes suddenly upon a view of Landour is struck with its beauty, and the picturesque appearance of its scattered houses: being higher up, it is sometimes preferred to Mussoorie, but is scarcely at the present period so agreeable as a residence; and the perpetual descent and ascent to and from the latter-named place, which possesses the best bazaar, and engrosses all the life of the community, are found to be inconvenient."

One hundred and seventy five years later you can buy wine and beer in the bazaar, there are several billiards halls (in Landour as well as in Mussooree), reading rooms have largely been and gone, replaced with amusement arcades and coffee shops. However, the view of Landour, with the Woodstock campus dominating the hillside, does still strike visitors with its beauty. Thanks to the two correspondents who shared such interesting information with us.