John Bellasis Watercolour of an unidentified church in India, 1840s.

Bellasis, John Brownrigg, Major, 19th Bombay Infantry.  A watercolour on paper, 17½ x 13½ ins. The watercolour is on a large sheet of paper like most of the artist’s work although in this case it is unsigned and was possibly awaiting further finishing. The church, with its delicate spire, is very well finished but the surrounding landscape is devoid of the figures which often appeaar in his work. The pencil identification in the unpainted bottom margin is hard to decipher. We have no doubt that it is by the artist as it came in a folder of his work. The paper is sound apart from just a few minor edge chips.

 As a Bombay Army officer most of the artist’s work was done in Western India and in the lands of the old Bombay Presidency. The delicate and precise nature of the drawing is typical of the officer’s work and drawing was an essential part of an officer’s training at the time.   jan2/1

Major John Brownrigg Bellasis [c. 1806- 1890] was commissioned into the East India Company’s Bombay Army in the 10th Native Infantry in 1822 and remained with that regiment for most of his career until becoming a lieutenant colonel when  he moved first to the 8th and then served in several regiments. He was on furlough during much of 1841 & 1842 and it is this period when he seems to have been painting most consistently. He came from a military family, his father, also John, being a major general commanding the Bombay Artillery around the time of his birth. The East India Register 1825 when John Brownrigg Bellasis was an ensign in the 10th shows Jonathan Hutchins Bellasis was a  captain in the same regiment, probably an elder brother, and Edward H. Bellasis was Private Secretary to the Governor.