Beejapore. Jumma Musjid in the distance - 1st December 1857

Water-colour painting of Bijapur by John Frederick Lester (1825-1915), 1st December 1857. This image is from an album of 30 watercolours made between 1865 and 1877 in Kathiawar, Bombay, Poona, Mahabaleshwar and Savantvadi State. The album cover is lettered in gold with the word: 'Sketches' and inscribed inside cover: 'J.F. Lester'.

Bijapur is located in Karnataka in the south of India. The city was established by Chalukyan dynasty of Kalyani between the 10th and 11th centuries and originally named Vijayapura or the ‘City of Victory’. From 1489 until 1686 it was the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty and enjoyed a period of great prosperity when many splendid mosques and tombs were constructed. The golden age of Bijapur ended with its conquest by the last great Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. After this time the town declined so that it now occupies less than half the area it once did however it still boasts over 50 mosques, 20 tombs and a number of palaces.

Source : British Library