Artwork
Burning a dead body
Burning a dead body is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Robert Captain Smith. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This drawing depicts a funeral scene beside a lake, part of a collection of 65 illustrations from a travel journal.
About this work
Overview
This drawing depicts a funeral scene beside a lake, part of a collection of 65 illustrations from a travel journal.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows six men preparing a burial, contradicting the title 'Burning a dead body', which suggests a cremation.
Technique & Style
The loose, sketchy lines indicate a quick execution, possibly from memory rather than direct observation.
History & Provenance
The drawing is from Captain Robert Smith's travel journal, documenting his voyages on the Ganges between 1828 and 1832, completed in 1845, and later donated to a museum collection by W. M. Biden.
Artist & collection
