HODGES, William (1744–1797)

An original aquatint entitled “A View of Tombs at Gazipoor,” drawn by William Hodges (1744–1797) and engraved by Thomas Medland (1755–1823), published by John Boydell in London in 1787 as part of Hodges’ celebrated Select Views in India.

The print depicts the historic Mughal funerary monuments at Gazipoor (modern Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh). A winding pathway leads the viewer through a tranquil landscape towards a cluster of elegant domed tombs partially concealed among mature trees. Two travellers occupy the foreground while another figure rests beside an architectural fragment, lending scale and animation to the composition. Hodges combines careful topographical observation with a refined sense of atmosphere, using dramatic cloud formations and soft tonal transitions to create one of the most picturesque plates in the series.

Executed following Hodges’ extensive travels in India between 1778 and 1784 under the patronage of Warren Hastings, this engraving formed part of the earliest major illustrated publication devoted exclusively to the landscapes and monuments of India. Select Views in India introduced British audiences to the architectural richness of the subcontinent and profoundly influenced later artists, including Thomas and William Daniell.

reff. Abbey, J.R., Travel in Aquatint and Lithography 1770–1860, Abbey Travel 416; Archer, Mildred, Early Views of India; Hodges, William, Select Views in India (London: John Boydell, 1785–1788).