distinctive touch are: Farhad Baksh, Asafi Kothi, Bibiapur, Barowen and of course the Constantia. Most of Martin's buildings were unique and were copied extensively by other designers keeping in mind their defence against military attack. As collector and connoisseur While serving under the Nawab Asaf-Ud-Dowlah of Awadh, Martin acquired a massive fortune of about Rs 4,000,000. He built the palace of Constantia and his fine house of Farhat Baksh, both of which he equipped with luxuries that included a library of some 4,000 volumes written in many languages and a picture gallery containing a fine collection of works of art. At his death, Claude's collection included over 650 Company style paintings of birds which were painted by Mughal-trained painters. Black Stork in a Landscape, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is one of these. Martin's love of art can be seen not only in his acquisition of art, but also in the design of his houses, his friendship with noted artists like Renaldi, Hodges and Zoffany (who included him in at least two paintings). In a number of cases he used local artists to create work in the style of European artists. His walls were decorated with neo-Greek Wedgwood style decorations, his paintings were by Mughal-trained artists and the statues above his palace were mostly clever reproductions in the style of two European statues. Later, Martin's life was mired in controversy as he had kept two wives of Colonel Polier's, after Polier had departed from India. It is obvious however that he cared for his favourite mistress Boulone, and she is the subject of a painting by Zoffany in 1795 which is still at La Martiniere Boys' School in Lucknow today. Renaldi is possibly the sculptor for a copper and silver medal (30 mm in diameter) issued by Nawab Asaf-uddula, which bears Martin's image and his motto. On the reverse side it says in Persian: "Most excellent in government, Sword of the Realm, Supreme amongst Knights, General Claude Martin the Brave, Courageous in War. 1796- 1797." All the furnishings and treasures of Constantia, as well as those from Martin's first Lucknow house, the Farhat Baksh, were auctioned on his death, as he had requested. The great chandeliers were bought for the Government House (now Raj Bhavan) in Calcutta, where they still hang, but the majority of his collection was dispersed to private buyers. As Nawab During