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BRIDGING CIVILISATIONS: THOMAS DANIELL’S 1798 VIEW OF THE ARMENIAN BRIDGE NEAR ST. THOMAS’S MOUNT

This atmospheric aquatint depicts the Armenian Bridge near St. Thomas’s Mount, a historical area south of Madras (modern-day Chennai). The bridge, thought to have been built by the Armenian merchant community that settled in Madras in the 17th century, spans the Adyar River and is shown bustling with local figures and a camel caravan... BRIDGING CIVILISATIONS: THOMAS DANIELL’S 1798 VIEW OF THE ARMENIAN BRIDGE NEAR ST. THOMAS’S MOUNT

This atmospheric aquatint depicts the Armenian Bridge near St. Thomas’s Mount, a historical area south of Madras (modern-day Chennai). The bridge, thought to have been built by the Armenian merchant community that settled in Madras in the 17th century, spans the Adyar River and is shown bustling with local figures and a camel caravan in the foreground.

The view was drawn on-site by Thomas and William Daniell during their South Indian travels (1792–1793), part of their larger tour of India, which culminated in their magnum opus, Oriental Scenery—a six-part series containing 144 plates issued between 1795 and 1808. The Daniells were instrumental in shaping European perceptions of India, combining technical brilliance with romantic sensibility to portray architectural and natural subjects with lyrical grandeur.

Their rendering here of the Armenian Bridge is both topographical and evocative. The receding arches of the bridge, punctuated by native figures and palm trees, capture a tranquil rhythm of colonial Madras life. In the distance, St Thomas’ Mount rises faintly above the bridge, evoking Christian and Armenian connections to the site.

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