"Decoy Elephants Leaving the Male Fastened to a Tree"

These beautifully engraved and colored aquatinted engravings provide unparalleled views of exotic hunting and sporting scenes in early 19th century India.  The images are based upon sketches made by Captain Thomas Williamson, a British officer of the East India Company. He sent his sketches to London where they were translated into engravings by Samuel Howitt, one of the preeminent animal artists of the time and included in a 40 plate work entitled Oriental Field Sports; being a complete, detailed and accurate description of the Wild Sports of the East; and exhibiting, in a novel and interesting manner, the Natural History of the Elephant, the Rhinoceros, the Wolf, the Tiger,…  The prints provided fascinated European audiences with views of the exotic and distant part of the British Empire, ably communicating the excitement and dangers of the big game hunt.

Hand colored aquatinted engraving.
19 x 23 1/2 inches, sheet.
Nice condition save light mat staining outside of plateand minor discoloration in margin.
Beautiful original color.