W. G. Burn-Murdoch

Travel memoir of the artist's journey to India and Burma, 1906, with his wife. The period coincides with the visit of The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) and his wife - along with the departure of one Viceroy (Curzon) and the arrival of another (Minto). The prose is seems surprisingly modern, the author appraises all with a painter's eye - majoring on colour and couching remarks with reference to other painters - Whistler, Velazquez, Watteau etc. The book is lavishly illustrated with coloured watercolours and many black and white illustrations. Many astute observations but, admittedly, other more outdated views and predjudice.… (meer)

This book is the description of a scroll that was published in an edition of 500 copies on Japanese vellum, showing "the principal historical characters in their proper arms and costumes". Burn Murdoch suggests in a caption that he wanted to see it as a bronze frieze 4ft high and 140ft long. Most booksellers seem unaware that the book simply accompanied and described the scroll, which was 140 inches long by 8 inches deep, and mounted on a golden roller. It's the design that is printed on "Japanese vellum" – not the book. The scroll is illustrated in black and white, with names and dates of the kings and other characters printed in gold underneath. William G Burn Murdoch, the Scottish artist and traveller, was interested in Polar exploration, and served as a surgeon/naturalist on the 1892-1893 Dundee Antarctic Expedition.… (meer)