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The Admiral’s Interpreter

Courtesy of a private collector | All Rights Reserved

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Date

October 1894

Artist

Violet Elwes (1864-1941)

Collection

Private Collection

Acknowledgements

Digitised by TWW

Description

This is a portrait of the British Admiral at Trincomalee’s interpreter. The interpreter’s name is inscribed in two languages, lower right (“Mungasir Ben [Moiser?]”).
He was originally from Zanzibar. Violet Elwes writes in her diary: 28th October 1894. “Went to church at Fort Frederick (Trincomalee [Sri Lanka]). Had the Admiral's Zanzibar interpreter up to paint. ‘Jumbo’ - he has a lovely blue dress, pink waistcoat and silver dagger. Too wet to do anything much." 29th October. “Started sketching but it was too wet. Went to Admiralty House. Not very lively. We looked at some deer - sort of fallow deer from Ceylon. They are very pretty. One stag got so fierce it nearly killed ‘Jumbo’ so the Admiral had to shoot it.”

Image Licence

All Rights Reserved

Image Credit

Courtesy of a private collector

Location

Navy House, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

Country

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© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform

© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform