Robert Home’s South View of the Works and Pettah of Ootradroog

Engraved by William Byrne. Good condition with light foxing and a small tear at the edge of the image bottom right.

This beautiful and rare copper engraving is from the book ‘Select Views in Mysore, The Country of Tippoo Sultan: from drawings on the spot by Mr. Home; with historical descriptions.’ Published by Mr. Bower in London. Robert Home would have drawn these scenes in his official capacity as campaign artist and mapmaker for Lord Cornwallis during the Mysore Wars.

History

Robert Home trained in the classical tradition of painting, studying the antique in Italy (1773-78) before arriving in India in 1790. He was the only professional artist to follow the army during the Mysore Wars, making sketches in the field as he travelled to Bangalore and the hill forts of Mysore. Twenty-nine of these engravings were published in his book in 1794.