Title: Purple Heron (Ardea Purpurea) Artist: unknown Indian artist, active in Kolkata Date: between 1775 and 1825 Genre: animal study Movement: Company School Medium: watercolor on watermarked paper Dimensions: 63.5 cm (25 in) high x 47.8 cm (18.8 in) wide Location: Art Institute of Chicago, IL, USA
This watercolor painting was made by an artist in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, who belonged to the so-called "Company School" -- a loose group of artists who produced works in a Westernized style for buyers in the British East India Company. It is noteworthy for its careful attention to the heron's anatomy and its adept use of color.











