Gezicht op Chengalpattu vanaf de weg naar Conjeveram te India

About this artwork

Boekillustratie uit: Wathen, James en Nicolaas Messchaert (vertaling), Reis naar Madras en China en terug over St. Helena, A. Blusse & Zoon (uitgever), Dordrecht 1816, tegenover titelpagina, illustratie bij reisverslag op p. 110 aldus opschrift.

Art Historical Context

**Gezicht op Chengalpattu vanaf de weg naar Conjeveram India** (1816) by Johannesiaan Bendorp offers a captivating glimpse into early 19th-century colonial India. This delicate etching captures a panoramic view of Chengalpattu, a fortified town south of Madras (modern-day Chennai), as seen from the dusty road leading to the ancient of Conjeveram (Kanchipuram). Measuring just 128mm by 198mm, it invites viewers to imagine the bustling landscapes of British East India Company territories during a time of expanding European exploration and trade. Created as a book illustration for the Dutch translation of James Wathen's *Reis naar Madras en China en terug over St. Helena*, published in Dordrecht by A. Blusse & Zoon, the print appears opposite the title page and accompanies the travel narrative on page 110. It reflects the era's fascination with distant exotic locales, documenting Wathen's journey through India, China, and back via St. Helena—famously Napoleon’s exile island. Such illustrations brought remote worlds to European readers, blending adventure with imperial curiosity. Bendorp's etching technique, using acid-etched lines on a metal plate for precise, tonal depth, was ideal for affordable book reproductions. This small yet evocative work highlights the role of printmaking in disseminating travel knowledge, preserving fleeting colonial vistas for posterity and sparking wonder about India's rich cultural tapestry.