# Thomas Daniell artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/thomas-daniell/
Profile generated: 2026-05-11T03:00:01.070Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Death date: 1840-03-18
- Nationality: British, English
- Movements: Orientalism, British landscape painting
- Common media: oil painting, watercolor, aquatint engraving, printmaking, drawing

## About Thomas Daniell

Thomas Daniell (1749–1840) was a British landscape painter, watercolorist, and printmaker whose depictions of India made him one of the most influential visual chroniclers of the subcontinent during the late eighteenth century. The son of an innkeeper, Daniell began his career painting coaches before turning to fine art. In 1785 he embarked on a nine-year journey through India and along the Chinese south coast, accompanied by his nephew and collaborator William Daniell. The expedition yielded celebrated aquatint series including Views of Calcutta (1786–1788) and the multi-part Oriental Scenery (1795–1808), which shaped European perceptions of Indian architecture and landscape for generations. Daniell was elected a Royal Academician in 1799. His work is held by major institutions including the Tate, the British Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Collectors encounter his work today primarily through aquatint prints, oil paintings, and watercolors of Indian and British topographical subjects.

## Common works and media

Collectors are most likely to encounter Daniell's aquatint prints from his major published series, particularly Views of Calcutta and Oriental Scenery, which depict Indian temples, palaces, cityscapes, and rural landscapes. Original oil paintings of Indian and British topographical subjects also appear at auction, though less frequently than prints. Watercolor drawings and preparatory sketches from the India expedition period represent a smaller but highly valued segment of his market. Works on paper, including sepia wash drawings and hand-colored engravings, constitute a significant portion of surviving material.

## Market and appraisal context

Thomas Daniell's works appear regularly at auction, with the market divided between original oil paintings, watercolors, and his more widely available aquatint prints. Complete bound volumes of his major print series command the strongest prices, while individual plates trade at more accessible levels. Condition is a critical factor: aquatint prints are susceptible to fading, foxing, and margin trimming. Provenance linking works to notable historical collections can add significant value. Attribution should account for the frequent collaboration between Thomas and his nephew William Daniell. The large number of recorded auction lots—over 400 entries in appraisal databases—reflects the breadth of his output and sustained collector interest.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from museum records, library authority files, and scholarly sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Thomas Daniell, identity data is grounded in records from the Tate, the Library of Congress, Getty ULAN, VIAF, and the RKD Netherlands Institute. Market observations reference the over 400 auction lots recorded in the Appraisily database.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q708907
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500028064
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/71525491/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50037796
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/thomas-daniell-137
- RKD Netherlands Institute: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/19962
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Daniell