Buy a giclee of Title (Original): Plan of the Attack on Mundlah Stormed on the 26th April 1818 By the Left Division of the Grand Army under the personal Command of Major General Dyson Marshall. - military cartography

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military map, battle plan, watercolor, 1818 siege, historical map, war strategy, india history

Quick Facts

Medium: Watercolor
Location: Kalakriti Archives, Hyderabad, India
Notable elements: Map with buildings, roads, rivers, and troops
Subject or theme: British military attack on Mundlah
Artistic style: Vintage watercolor map
Artist: Lieutenant Colonel Valentine Blacker

Artwork Description

Mandla, until the mid-18th Century, was the centre of the Garha-Mandla kingdom (a Rajput-Gond dynasty) and is located far to east of the general theatre of the war. The city and its great fort lay well-protected at a sharp bend along the Narmada River. In April 1818, British zeal towards seizing Mandla was motivated by the fact that, the month before, the fort’s killedar had treacherously (although unsuccessfully) tried to kill a British officer who was travelling under a flag of truce. The British arrived at Mandla on April 18, 1818 and with considerable difficulty constructed siege batteries across the river facing the fort. By April 26 they had severely damaged the fort’s walls before mounting what turned out to be a messy storming raid upon the bastion, during which 500 of the defenders were killed. Mandla quickly surrendered thereafter.

Related Artworks

Artist Biography

early life and education

lieutenant colonel valentine blacker, a renowned artist and military officer, was born in armagh, northern ireland in 1778. his family had an ancestral home in the barony of oneilland east. blacker's early life is not well-documented, but it is known that he obtained a commission in the madras cavalry in 1798.

military career

1799: made a cornet in the madras cavalry
1800: aide-de-camp to colonel stevenson in the wayanad district
1810: quartermaster-general
1817: served in deccan, promoted to lieutenant-colonel
1823: took over as surveyor general of india from john hodgson

artistic contributions

blackers' artistic talents are evident in his watercolor paintings, showcasing his mastery of color and light. some notable works include: lieutenant colonel valentine blacker's plan of the operations of the reserve of the deckan army (1818), a watercolor piece depicting the operations of the reserve of the deckan army under brigadier general thomas munro.

plan of the operations (29 x 20 cm, kalakriti archives, hyderabad, india, watercolour)
plan of the environs (kalakriti archives, hyderabad, india, paper)
plan of the attack (28 x 26 cm, kalakriti archives, hyderabad, india, watercolour)

legacy and death

blacker's contributions to the trigonometrical survey of india are a testament to his scientific approach. he was stationed in calcutta from 1823 until his death from a fever in 1826. blacker was buried in south park street cemetery, calcutta. notable collections featuring blacker's work:

the museum northern ireland civil service art collection (united kingdom)
la academia real de ulster (belfast, reino unido)

blackers' artistic legacy continues to be celebrated through his works, showcasing the intersection of art and military service.

lieutenant colonel valentine blacker

1778 - 1826 , Republic of Ireland

Quick Facts

Artistic Movement Or Style: Watercolor
Date Of Birth: 1778-10-19
Date Of Death: 1826-02-04
Full Name: Valentine Blacker
Nationality: Irish
Notable Artworks:
- Plan of the Combat at Ashtee
- Plan of the Hill Fort of Sattara
- Plan of the Assault of the Fort of Taulneir
Place Of Birth: Armagh, Republic of Ireland