Caption

An elephant and a mahout, sketchbook page. In the center of the page, a tusksless elephant (aliya) is drawn, viewed from the side. On the left is the head with a hanging trunk and ears held flat back. It is a Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus). Sitting on top of the shoulders—without a saddle—with legs wide apart is an elephant leader (mahout or nayaka) holding a henduwa in his right hand, a stick with a metal hook not visible here. The man is dressed only in a loincloth and has a cap on his head. To the right of the drawing, a text was added in pencil (later, after 1671): oolifant. Sheet 43 from a sketchbook with 117 sheets., draftsman (artist): Esaias Boursse, Sri Lanka, 1662, draftsman (artist), South Asia, materials by function, paper, ink, brush, brush in gray, height 148 mm x width 196 mm, Asiatic races and peoples (SRILANKANS), 41D232, skirt (LUNGI), trunked animals: elephant (man and animal), overseas history, mahout, Colombo, Period, 1662 - 1670, A pencil drawing of an elephant standing on a lightly shaded ground with a person seated on its back; the elephant is rendered with textured skin folds, a long curved trunk that hangs toward the ground, large ears with visible inner lines, and a tapered tail with a tuft at the end; the person wears a pointed hat and minimal clothing, sits astride the elephant holding a thin pole, and has a neutral facial expression; the background is mostly blank paper with faint smudges and subtle shading.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A75_447

License type

Rights managed

Available size

40.9Mb (6.8Mb) / 14.7in x 10.8in / 4398 x 3250 (300dpi)

Keywords

elephant mahout sketchbook page center page tusksless elephant aliya drawn viewed side left head hanging trunk ears held flat back Sri Lankan elephant Elephas maximus maximus Sitting top shoulders saddle legs wide apart elephant leader nayaka holding henduwa right hand stick metal hook visible man dressed loincloth cap right drawing text was added pencil later 1671 oolifant Sheet 43 sketchbook 117 sheets draftsman artist Esaias Boursse Sri Lanka 1662 South Asia materials function paper ink brush gray height 148 mm x width 196 mm Asiatic races peoples Srilankans 41D232 skirt Lungi trunked animals animal overseas history Colombo Period 1662 - 1670 pencil drawing elephant standing lightly shaded ground person seated back rendered textured skin folds long curved trunk hangs large ears visible inner lines tapered tail tuft person wears pointed hat minimal clothing sits astride elephant holding thin pole neutral facial expression background mostly blank paper faint smudges subtle shading