A Moorepunkee

Etching titled ‘A Moorpunkee’ is a long and narrow boat whose prows ended in the sculpted figure head of a peacock.
It is a part of the extensive work titled ‘Boats of Bengal’ by Flemish Artist Francois Balthazar Solvyns , whose portrayal of the people and culture of Bengal is amongst the richest visual records of India in the late 18th Century.

In this etching Solvyns has described ‘Moorpunkee’ as a pleasure boat for princes, which were especially popular for an evening outing for European gentlemen and wealthy Hindus.