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).

The Annual Report for 1893 notes that Captain S. Pasfield Oliver, late R.A., gave a 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 is part of this donation. Transferred from the Haddon library in a card folio in 2010.

Event Date 5/10/2011
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
Watercolour and ink drawing of figures in a cemetery overlooking a river. The drawing is attached to a board and the left side third is wrapped around to the reverse, covering part of the inscription. Inscription on reverse: 'Cemetery of the Vazimbas, on east coast of Madagascar, the supposed dwarf aborigines of the interior highlands whither they re... in the historic period. S. Pasfield Oliver." The painting is marked '30' in pencil and signed 'S. P. Oliver ... erdt RB 1862'. Faint pencil inscription in upper right corner: '... vazimba cemetery, Madagascar'.
Event Date 5/10/2011
Author: maa