East View of The Forts Jellali & Merani, Muscat

The painting depicts Fort Jellali and Fort Merani, two Portuguese-built strongholds dominating Muscat’s harbor. These structures symbolize the strategic competition for control over Indian Ocean trade routes in the 16th century. Their presence in the view underscores the region’s geopolitical significance, as European powers sought to disrupt established spice networks. The scene is documentary rather than romantic, emphasizing architecture over human activity.

Executed in watercolour, the work employs precise linear detail and muted tones to convey the arid landscape and stone fortifications. Daniell’s handling is methodical, with careful rendering of architectural elements and atmospheric perspective to suggest depth. The composition balances the forts’ mass against the open sea and sky, avoiding dramatic flourish in favor of topographical clarity. The medium’s portability suited the Daniells’ itinerant practice.

The watercolour was made during the Daniells’ 1793 stop in Muscat, a detour prompted by news of war. It was later exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1831, nearly four decades after its creation. Few European artists had documented Muscat at the time, making this view a valuable record. The piece remained within the family’s collection before entering institutional holdings, now preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The Portuguese constructed the forts in the early 1500s to secure their maritime trade monopoly following the opening of the Cape route to India. Their presence challenged Mamluk and later Ottoman interests in the region. By the late 18th century, Muscat was under Omani control, yet the Portuguese forts still stood as relics of earlier imperial ambitions. The Daniells’ visit occurred during a period of shifting regional power, with British interests increasingly active in the Gulf.

As one of the earliest European visual records of Muscat’s harbor, the watercolour contributes to the historical documentation of the Gulf’s architecture and colonial encounters. Its rarity among 18th-century European depictions of the region underscores the Daniells’ role as systematic observers of underrepresented landscapes. The work remains a reference for scholars studying the intersection of travel, cartography, and imperial visual culture in the Indian Ocean world.