Musician with Saurinda Art Print

This 1799 colored etching by François Balthazar Solvyns captures a musician in Calcutta playing the saurinda, a bowed string instrument akin to the violin.

Seated in a simple street setting, the musician wears a turban and plays with focus, his dark complexion suggesting Indian heritage. The background, featuring a doorway and balcony, hints at Calcutta’s colonial architecture, while a nearby hookah adds cultural context.

Solvyns, known for documenting Indian life, offers an insightful glimpse into the city’s musical traditions. The inscription “A SAURINDA” identifies the instrument, reinforcing this etching’s value as both an artistic and historical record of 18th-century Calcutta.

These prints are printed on a fine quality ivory paper.

These are reproductions of old illustrations & in most cases will have the same imperfections as the original.