'View of Seringapatam'. Aquatint, drawn and engraved by James Moffat, published Calcutta undated.
Artist: Moffat, James (1775-1815)
Medium: Aquatint with etching
Aquatint of a view of Seringapatam with etching by James Moffat dated 1803. Seringapatam, situated close to Mysore, is an island fortress surrounded Kaveri River. The name of the town is thought to derive from the 9th century Hindu temple on the island, Sri Ranganatha. In the late 18th century, the Mysore rulers Haidar Ali (r.1761-1782) and his son Tipu Sultan (r.1782-1799) fought numerous wars against the British over the control of Southern India. Seringapatam was the site of the two most famous sieges in this conflict in 1792 and 1799. This view shows the island from the north. Within the fort of Seringapatam, shown on the right, we can see the Flagstaff, the Jami Masjid and the Sri Ranganatha temple.