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Rites of the World
Hindu Women Celebrating Pongal Festival, Engraving after Sonnerat, 1806
Anno Domini MDCCCVI1806
£170
$225 · €200
Original print, not a reproduction
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- Date
- 1806
- Sheet size
- 11.2 × 8.3 in (28.5 × 21 cm)
- Condition
- Good. Good condition with mild age toning. Light spotting and a small stain near the figure’s waist. Plate mark visible. Edges slightly browned, consistent with age.
- Faith
- Hinduism
- Collection
- Rites of the World
- Era
- 1800 to 1849, Travellers and the costume books
- Stock no.
- f_46087002
Hindu Women Celebrating Pongal Festival, Engraving after Sonnerat, 1806
This antique engraving depicts a devotional moment during the South Indian Pongal festival, a traditional harvest celebration honoring the Sun God. The scene shows two Indian women performing rituals: one is kneeling in prayer with folded hands, while the other stands with arms raised in reverence toward the rising sun. A pot on the right emits a cloud of steam or smoke, indicating the boiling of rice, a central element of the Pongal ritual. Nearby, offerings are placed on a large banana leaf, symbolizing gratitude for agricultural abundance.
The engraving is titled “Indiennes, Faisant Pongol” (Indian women performing Pongal) and originates from the 1806 edition of Pierre Sonnerat’s influential travel publication *Voyage aux Indes Orientales et à la Chine*. Sonnerat (1745 to 1814), a French naturalist and explorer, documented various aspects of Indian life, customs, and ceremonies during his travels. The engraving was executed by Jean-Baptiste-Marie Poisson (1747 to 1820), a skilled French engraver known for his detailed and expressive style.
Pongal is one of the most important festivals in Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India. Traditionally held in mid-January, it is both a religious and cultural event, symbolizing the gratitude of farmers for the harvest season. The engraving illustrates the reverent aspect of this ritual, focusing on the domestic prayer and offering rather than the broader public celebrations.
This piece offers a rare European portrayal of South Indian customs in the early 19th century, combining ethnographic observation with a Neoclassical artistic sensibility. Ideal for collectors interested in early depictions of Indian culture, religious festivals, or travel prints from the colonial period.
Condition report:
Good condition with mild age toning. Light spotting and a small stain near the figure’s waist. Plate mark visible. Edges slightly browned, consistent with age.
Framing tips:
Best displayed in a warm-toned wood frame with a soft ivory or sand-colored mat. A generous margin will help highlight the vertical composition and the radiant light of the sun.
Technique: Engraving
Maker: J.-B.-M. Poisson after Pierre Sonnerat, Paris, 1806
