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Edward Upham, The History and Doctrine of Budhism, Popularly Illustrated: with Notices of the Kappooism, or Demon Worship, and of the Bali, or Planetary Incantations of Ceylon, London: Printed for R. Ackermann; J. Upham, Bath; C. Upham, Exeter; and Dondey-Dupré, Librairie Orientale, Paris, 1829

Title page, text with 43 hand-coloured lithographic plates from original Sinhalese designs illustrating deities, demons, planetary deities, and ritual scenes; modern full calf, spine gilt-lettered and panelled, gilt roll-tool borders on covers, marbled endpapers, and red ribbon marker.
45.5 x 31 cm

Edward Upham’s History and Doctrine of Budhism (1829) offers one of the earliest illustrated interpretations of Sri Lankan Buddhism and associated folk beliefs. Printed by Ackermann, this large folio features forty-three superb hand-coloured lithographs after original Sinhalese designs, vividly portraying Buddhist deities, planetary rituals, and demonological cults—an exceptional synthesis of early Orientalist scholarship and rare visual documentation.

ICONOGRAPHY OF THE SACRED AND SUPERNATURAL: CEYLON’S DEMON AND PLANETARY DEITIES

Edward Upham’s The History and Doctrine of Budhism, Popularly Illustrated: with Notices of the Kappooism, or Demon Worship, and of the Bali, or Planetary Incantations of Ceylon (London: R. Ackermann, 1829) represents one of the earliest European attempts to interpret Theravada Buddhist philosophy alongside indigenous Sinhalese ritual practices. Compiled by a Bath bookseller and orientalist, the work sought to introduce Western readers to Buddhist doctrine, demonological cults (kappooism), and planetary incantations (bali) observed in colonial Ceylon, reflecting both genuine ethnographic interest and the interpretive frameworks of early nineteenth-century Orientalism.

The book is notable for forty-three lithographic plates—many hand-coloured—derived from original Sinhalese paintings collected by Sir Alexander Johnston, then Chief Justice of Ceylon. These plates, illustrating deities, demons, planetary spirits, and ritual scenes, are among the earliest visual records of Sri Lankan religious iconography published in the West. Produced by Rudolph Ackermann, a leading publisher of illustrated works, the folio is recognised as a significant milestone in British lithographic printing.

While Upham’s textual accuracy has been questioned, the volume retains enduring importance as a visual document of colonial knowledge production and religious syncretism, complementing early studies of Buddhism in Europe and serving as a key reference for scholars of Sri Lankan religious art and ethnography.

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