Interior of a cave on the island of Elephanta, near Bombay, Maharashtra. Coloured aquatint by Thomas and William Daniell, 1800.

"The main shrine of the temple dedicated to Shiva is situated in the centre of the cave. At the four entrances stand great guardian figures. The square flat-roofed cella, surrounded by a pillared hall allowing circumambulation under cover, was a common form of temple architecture by the seventh century, but this shrine dates from the sixth." Archer op. cit.

The cave, located as it is on an island off the entrance to Bombay harbour, had early been noticed by Europeans coming to India. A sculptured elephant that originally stood at the south end had given the island its name of Elephanta. Archer op. cit.

London (Howland Street, Fitzroy Square) : Thomas Daniell, 1 March 1800.

1 print : aquatint, with watercolour ; platemark 47.8 x 65.2 cm.

The entrance to the Elephanta cave ; drawn & engraved by Tho[ma]s Daniell, R.A. & W[illia]m Daniell Bears number bottom right : VIII

Travel in aquatint and lithography 1770-1860 from the library of J.R. Abbey, San Francisco 1991, vol. 2, 420.59

Mildred Archer, Early views of India, London 1980, reproduced as no. 135

Wellcome Collection 27847i