An exhibition organised by the George Keyt Foundation and the British High Commission showcases rare oil paintings, watercolours, and lithographs by British artists who documented the island during the 1800s, offering insights into how colonial-era artists perceived and portrayed Ceylon.
The George Keyt Foundation and the British High Commission are hosting an exhibition titled "19th Century Views of Ceylon" that brings together artistic works spanning from the early 1800s through the end of the century. The display features rare oil paintings, watercolours, and aquatint lithographs created by professional and amateur British artists who documented the island during the colonial period. The exhibition runs on July 31st and August 1st at Westminster House in Colombo and offers free entry for those who register in advance through the George Keyt Foundation's website.
The collection traces the evolution of artistic depictions, beginning with Henry Salt's 1809 renderings of Point de Galle and Samuel Daniell's detailed natural-history illustrations from 1808. As the British expanded inland, military officers and surveyors including William Thomas Lyttleton and Charles O'Brien documented new territories, while marine painters and landscape artists added varied perspectives on the island's geography and colonial infrastructure. The works span from topographical studies of specific locations to more atmospheric interpretations developed later in the century.
The exhibition includes contributions from internationally recognised figures such as Edward Lear, the Victorian artist and writer famous for his literary nonsense, who produced over seventy drawings and watercolours during a brief 1874 visit. Constance Frederica Gordon-Cumming, the only female artist featured, arrived in 1873 and maintained a rigorous daily sketching practice, later publishing her observations in her 1892 travel memoir. Other notable artists represented include Andrew Nicholl, who became the first painting instructor at the Colombo Academy in 1846.
Organisers emphasise that these artworks serve as both visual historical records and reflections of the perspectives and assumptions of their era. The accompanying publication, "19th Century Views of Ceylon by British Artists," contains nearly 100 illustrations and is available for pre-order at Rs. 6,000 until August 1st, with the price increasing to Rs. 7,500 thereafter.
