watercolour Unframed: 6 x 10 cm. (2 3/8 x 3 7/8 in.) Framed: 27 x 30 cm. (10 5/8 x 11 3/4 in.)Provenance:With Appleby Bros. Ltd, London, where purchased by the family of the present owner.Notes:Born in Murshidabad, India, in 1781, Sir D’Oyly was born into a family that long served their country. His father was the East India Company’s resident at the Court of Nawab Babar Ali of Murshidabad. The artist spent a large amount of time with friend, George Chinnery, who no doubt influenced his artistic style. He served in the Bengal Civil Service of the East India Company from 1797 to 1838, holding a succession of senior administrative positions in Calcutta, Dacca, and Patna. Although his professional career was distinguished by his service within the colonial civil administration, he is principally remembered for his activities as an amateur artist and author. He produced and published a number of illustrated works incorporating engravings and lithographs depicting Indian subjects, such as the present example, reflecting his sustained interest in the visual documentation of the region. He was also a prominent figure in the artistic life of Patna, where he founded and served as president of the Behar School of Athens, an amateur society dedicated to the cultivation and practice of the arts.