Class XXIX.]
ETHNOGRAPHICAL MODELS—EXITED KINGDOM, INDIA, &c.
G40
extensive series in the Indian Court. It is to be fearedthat this latter collection will be dispersed with the othersplendid contents of the department, before its value canbe fully appreciated.
The Fine-Art Court contains a collection of very beau-tiful, life-like, and spirited figures, modelled in wax withmost surprising minuteness and artistic feeling, both inthe position and grouping. They represent the natives ofMexico , and also the American Indians (p. 833), habitedin their proper costume, and displaying their character-istic customs in the several phases of civilized and savagelife, with a truthfulness in the varied expressions andanatomical development of the different effigies, which ismost remarkable. An Indian , rejoicing in triumph overthe despair of a white victim, whom he has bound and isabout to scalp, but whose sufferings he is prolonging withsavage cruelty, may be especially cited in illustration ofthis particular excellence; and the group of three figures,entitled “ a confessional/' as an instance, displaying arich vein of humour. The “ Aqmdor” or water-carrier;the “ Rcmemlor” or street-cobbler, in his tattered gar-ments ; the group of civilized Indians laden with produce ;the group of savage Indians, called “ Mccos;” the Fan-dango, a national dance, illustrated by two Indian womendancing to the guitar, played by a male figure, with nu-merous other examples wliich might be adduced, are alsoall deserving of equal praise.
The Figures in the Indian Courts, which have, it ap-pears, been contributed by several Exhibitors, are eithermodelled in clay or plaster, or else carved in wood, andpainted to represent the natural colours of the variousobjects. Tlie largest group, which was contributed byMr. Mansfield, of the East India Company ’s civil service,is coutained in a model of the “ Jamma Bundi” or theencampment of a government collector, whilst movingabout on his annual tour through his district (pp. 92G, 927).The figures are of plaster, and the buildings of wood.The double-poled tent of the collector is pitched at a shortdistance from the village; and he is represented as sittingwithin it, surrounded by the “ Manletdar,” and other re-venue-officers. Several petitioners are congregated aroundthe door of the tent, soliciting a remission of part of thepayments due from them. The figures of men and ani-mals are about three hundred in number, and present alively representation of Indian life and character. Someare indolently lying under the trees, some are gazing atthe performance of a snake-charmer, and some feeding anelephant; whilst others, more intent on the business of theday, are having their petitions written out by the villageaccountants, or “ Coolkurnees .” The village, near whichthe encampment is formed, is represented inside a fortifiedwall, which surrounds it, and which is shown in section.There are also to be seen the numerous shops and rows ofhouses in the village, with the inhabitants engaged intheir various pursuits.
The best executed and most instructive models, how-ever, are those of clay, manufactured in Kishnaghur(p. 926), representing the various castes and professionsof the Hindoos, which collection comprises upwards ofsixty illustrations, some consisting of several figures.Here, almost in the closest juxtaposition with the splendidcotton-carding, spinning, and weaving machinery exhibitedin Class VI., there is to be seen a Bengal woman clean-ing cotton with the strung bow, and another spinningwith the most primitive of apparatus; and the weaverpreparing his thread on his roughly-made loom. Not farfrom Nasmyth’s steam-hammer, the “ Khamar ,” or Bengalblacksmith, is represented with his simple bellows, forge,and anvil; and within a very short distance from thelatest refinements in agricultural implements and ma-chinery, are illustrations of ploughing and harrowing withapparatus which no European could use; and rice-grind-ing that must require all the patience of an Indian toperform. On a line with the locomotive-engines whichconvey our correspondence with a celerity not dreamed ofa few years since, and even now insignificant in com-
parison with the lightning speed of the electric-telegraph,are effigies of the J)awk-runner , or Bearer of the Govern-ment Mail-bags; and the Dawk-bandydnirdar, or mes-senger who carries Post-office Parcels; and closely watchedby the unarmed policeman are the Bro-johassee, or armedwatchman, and the Chovckeedar> or village watchman.These are only a few of the groups of this most suggestiveand well-executed collection. It will recompense the mostattentive study; and the visitor cannot fail to be asto-nished at the very simple implements used by the Hindoosto effect operations for which costly and ponderous ma-chinery are generally employed with us. An instance inaddition to those already cited may be pointed out in theprimitive pair of wooden cylinders for crushing the sugar-cane, which are turned by a single individual with across-handle, whilst two others are engaged, the one infeeding the machine, and the other in taking away the! juice and the crushed cane. This simple machine, althoughnot comparable with the gigantic three-roller crushing-mill with its attached steam-engine, seen in Class VI.,nevertheless shows that the Indians were acquainted withthe principles involved in its construction.
Less perfect in point of execution than the Kishnaghurclay-figures, but still most interesting, are the modelsmanufactured at Gokak (p. 926), which it appears are notmade as articles of export, but only to order. This col-lection comprises about forty illustrations, out of whichmay be especially noticed, as representing trades, theCotton-printer, the Potter, the Woman grinding meal, theBengal Water-carrier, or Bheestee, and the Washerwoman,or Dhobie.
The Models illustrating the practices of the Thugmurderers excite the most painful interest, and repre-sent the following incidents:—A traveller, induced to sitdown and smoke, has his attention directed to tlie heavens,when the fatal handkerchief is applied by a Thug whostands behind him; but in another group a horseman issuccessfully defending himself from an attack on the partof the Thugs, one of whom he has slain. The mutilationof the bodies of the murdered, and their concealment in awell, and the strangling of travellers on horseback and onfoot, are also represented. It is stated that some of theseThug murderers, after having been arrested and reclaimed,and domiciled in a school of industry, were tlie manufac-turers of the carpets exhibited in the Indian tent.
The other Models contained in the Indian Court com-prise thirty-five figures in wood from the Pajah of Jodh-pore; a model of a European court of justice, and alsoone of a native court; models of a silk-factory and anindigo-factory, of a native oil-mill, and of a farm-esta-blishment (p. 927). A series of male and female figures,exhibited by T. E. J. Boileau, (p.927), represent theprincipal Sects in Cochin China and Travancore .
The Figures from Malta , which are modelled in wax,have not the same claims to merit as those before de-scribed, but have still a certain amount of excellence.They represent tlie Grand Master Valetta, the GrandMaster Lonzadari, with the Master of the Order of Malta ,and a Knight, in their proper costume (p. 946).
Three Exhibitors contribute models illustrative of themanners and dresses of Spain . Two of these send figuresin painted terra-cotta representing the inhabitants ofAndalusia and Malaga ; but the examples are not nu-merous, though they are remarkable for the beauty andcorrectness of the modelling (p. 1347). The other Exhi-bitor has sent a model of one-half of the interior of thearena for Bull-fights at Madrid, made in wood, and con-taining, it is said, about 4,000 figures, exhibiting thevarious incidents proper to the place (No. 2S9, p. 1347).
There are eleven Exhibitors in this section; of thesethere are—
4 Holders of a Prize Medal.
1 Who obtained Honourable Mention.
6 Unrewarded.
11 Total.