Context (CMS Context)
(Bio) Lieutenant Samuel Pasfield Oliver, (Captain: 1871), Royal Artillery, visited Madagascar during 1861-2, and witnessed King Radama II’s coronation at Antananarivo (23 Sept 1861), and returned later in 1863 on HMS Rapid following the King’s presumed assassination , (12 May 1863).

Annual Report for 1893 notes that Captain S. Pasfield Oliver, late R.A., gave collection of "fifty-nine sketches and finished drawings in pencil, in;, and water colours, of prehistoric stone monuments, tumuli, and burial places, sketched by the donor in England, the Channel Islands, Brittany, Etruria, Sardinia, Greece, the Troad, Madagasgar, Japan and" as well as a number of books to the library". It is likely that the Madagascan material here accessioned as 2011.96-232 are part of this donation. Transfered from the Haddon library in a card folio in 2010.
Event Date 21/9/2011
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
Watercolour of figures in uniforms progressing through a tropical forest. Inscription: "March of the Hova army through the forest down to the coast". Signed "S.P. Oliver". Part of a newspaper account, possibly related to the painting, is adhered to the reverse above the inscription.
Event Date 21/9/2011
Author: maa