Preaching under a Banyan Tree

late 19th century

Painted and printed cloth, depicting a missionary preaching in India. A white-suited missionary stands preaching in front of a banyan, holding a Bible aloft in one hand and a wide-brimmed hat in the other. A group of villagers listen to his discourse on the left, and large white tent is pitched behind. On the right is a bullock-cart with driver, and two women carrying baskets on their heads. The black outline appears to have been printed and then coloured by hand in red, blue, green, orange, etc., with a pale lemon yellow sky. A small metal ring has been inserted at each corner of the cloth.