James Baille Fraser

James Baillie Fraser (1783–1856) was a Scottish travel writer and artist, born in Reelig, Inverness. He was the eldest of five sons of Edward Satchel Fraser and Jane Fraser. After overseeing his family’s sugar plantations in Guiana, he returned to Scotland due to poor health. In 1813, Fraser set sail for India to establish a business in Calcutta to help pay off his family’s debts, though the venture was unsuccessful. His brother William, a Writer for the East India Company, played a significant role in Fraser’s later artistic journey.

In India, Fraser was deeply influenced by the landscapes of the Himalayas and the Company school style of painting that his brother patronized. He sketched the Himalayan scenery and collaborated with local artists, producing notable works such as *Views in the Himala Mountains* (1820). He later ventured into Persia and kept detailed travel diaries. His travels to the sources of the rivers Yamuna and Ganga also provided inspiration for many of his watercolours and writings, capturing the picturesque beauty of the region.

Fraser's artistic style focused on landscapes, especially in India and Persia, where he depicted scenes in the picturesque mode, often collaborating with professional artists like William Havell and George Chinnery. His watercolours were later lithographed, contributing to early visual records of these regions. His writings, which include travel narratives and Eastern-themed fiction, display a vivid and energetic style, solidifying his reputation as both an artist and a writer.