Drawings By Douglas Hamilton

There are at least two hundred and twelve detailed drawings by Douglas Hamilton of South Indian landscapes, game animals and forestry operations. Eighty seven of Hamilton's careful drawings of the Annaimalai Hills, Palani Hills and Shevaroy Hills are in the British Library, ninety six drawings were published in his autobiography, Records of Sport in Southern India... and an additional thirty one were published in Forests and Gardens of South India.

Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Hamilton (1818 – 1892) was a British Indian Army officer, gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry from 1837 to 1871. Hamilton was a well known forester, surveyor and illustrator of the early British hill stations in South India and a famous sportsman, shikari, big-game hunter and trophy collector. He was an acute observer of nature and a gentleman.

Though executed only in pen and ink or pencil, these drawings have artistic merit due to the artists skillful use of hatching and stippling to achieve realistic texture, shading and perspective. Hamilton's illustration of subjects and backgrounds that are unfamiliar to most people, creates initial interest in his drawings. His effective portrayal of actual or implied recent or future dramatic action heightens the viewers interest in his subjects. Hamilton selected his sketches that best illustrate scenes in his writing. This implies there were also additional drawings, however their existence is now unknown.