The British professional artists appeared on the Indian scene in the last quarter of the 18th century. Their first destination was Calcutta where they found patrons among the emerging British ruling elite of the John Company. The most notable artists who captured the Indian panorama in their paintings were Thomas and William Daniell who toured the country extensively, making sketches and watercolours, which they took back to England and produced their famous six-volume series of aquatints, Oriental Scenery.
Then there was William Hodges who travelled to India producing his Select Views of India. The engravings offered the most resonant examples of the British vision of sublime and picturesque India. Their work was greatly appreciated and this inspired several landscape artists to visit India including William Simpson who brought out many scenic views of India including its ancient monuments and other historic edifices. James Fraser, a gifted amateur artist and his brother William Fraser were notable artist of the Calcutta scene.
Some European amateur artists made sketches of Indian people of different professions but these were for their own pleasure and possession. The first European professional artist to devote himself to this neglected field was Balthazar Solvyns at Calcutta. He made a comprehensive study of the Indian communities and their occupations and produced 250 colour etchings. He made drawings from real life of men and women of every possible caste or calling, from the high caste Brahmin to the sweeper woman.
