A Moorepunkee

Etching titled ‘A Moorpunkee’ is a long and narrow boat whose prows ended in the sculpted figure head of a peacock.
It is a part of the extensive work titled ‘Boats of Bengal’ by Flemish Artist Francois Balthazar Solvyns, whose portrayal of the people and culture of Bengal is amongst the richest visual records of India in the late 18th Century.

In this etching Solvyns has described ‘Moorpunkee’ as a pleasure boat for princes, which were especially popular for an evening outing for European gentlemen and wealthy Hindus.