Imperial keepsakes

Most people return from India armed with cheap but cheerful trinkets and tea. But if you are the son of Queen Victoria, you can expect to fare so much better. In October 1875, the Prince of Wales set off on a four-month tour of the Indian subcontinent and collected some exquisite treasures along the way. ‘Splendours of the Subcontinent: A Prince’s Tour of India 1875-6’, an ongoing exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace in London, tells the story of this fascinating tour through these treasures, many of which had been presented to the future King Edward VII during his India visit.

Another exhibition at the same venue, ‘Splendours of the Subcontinent: Four Centuries of South Asian Paintings and Manuscripts’, presents 150 works from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, many of them on public display for the first time.

The Royal Collection’s South Asian paintings and manuscripts include some of the most well-preserved examples in the world, spanning more than 400 years — from illuminated Mughal manuscripts and natural history paintings to modern masterpieces and flamboyant depictions of Hindu gods.

The establishment of trade routes to South Asia and the formation of the East India Company in 1600 opened up the wonders of the subcontinent to Britain. The mind-blowing grandeur of the Mughal court was captured by artists in elaborate paintings and manuscripts, and many of these were acquired by King George III.

“The exhibition is organised more or less chronologically. It begins with a large gallery dedicated to exquisite Mughal paintings and manuscripts presented to George III and George IV, including paintings from the Royal Library’s celebrated Padshahnama manuscript,” said Emily Hannam, curator of the exhibition on paintings and manuscripts, in an email interview.

“The second gallery has a much wider range of material, from South India, Punjab, Rajasthan and further afield. This reflects the closer relationships between the British monarchs and the wider Indian subcontinent in the 19th and early 20th centuries as a greater variety of South Asian works of art entered the Royal Collection,” she said.

Queen Victoria’s “keen interest in India” is explored through personal items as well. “These include her own ‘Hindustani diaries’ and phrase book as well as a beautifully-bound photo album containing a hand-coloured photo of Abdul Karim, her ‘munshi’, who taught her Urdu. Each work of art in the exhibition is unique, delicate and thought-provoking.”

Queen Victoria also received many books dedicated to her, including The Queen’s Travels in Scotland and Ireland , translated into Hindi by the Maharaja of Benares. After she became Queen in 1837, she was sent many letters, paintings and manuscripts, including a posthumous portrait of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1842), by his successor, Sher Singh, who congratulated her on her marriage and birth of her son.

Queen Mary, wife of King George V, also acquired artworks of South Asian origin. One of the best known was ‘Queen Tissarakshita’ (1911) by Abanindranath Tagore, founder of the Bengal School of Art. This painting, presented by Lady Hardinge — wife of the Viceroy in Calcutta — shows Ashoka’s queen seated in front of the railings of the stupa at Sanchi and looking at the Bodhi tree.

The 17th-century Padshahnama ( Book of Emperors ) is an illustrated chronicle commissioned by Shah Jahan as a celebration of his reign. In 1798, Governor-General of India Lord Teignmouth presented King George III with six volumes as gifts from the Nawab of Awadh, including the Padshahnama , which he described as “the most splendid” Mughal manuscript he had ever seen.

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, exchanged presents with over 90 rulers during his visit. A spectacular 10-piece gold service, given by the Maharaja of Mysore, has ceremonial objects such as an attardan (perfume holder), rosewater sprinklers and a paandan (betel-nut holder) — all of which were traditionally used to welcome guests to an Indian court. In all, he received 2,000 priceless artefacts.

Among these were a pair of enamelled peacock feather fans, which can also be seen in paintings such as ‘State elephants at Baroda’ made by Sydney Prior Hall, a portrait painter and illustrator accompanying the royal contingent. A walking stick that doubles as a gun and has a gold handle in the shape of a makara (mythical creature), which was presented by Maharao Ram Singh of Bundi, and a gold-and-emerald turban ornament bestowed by Sajjan Singh, Maharana of Udaipur, are also on show.

On his return, the Prince of Wales made arrangements to put the gifts on display. The Prince of Wales’s Indian Collection exhibition opened at South Kensington Museum (now Victoria and Albert Museum) in 1876. Hugely popular, it drew 30,000 visitors in the first week. “Each object, wrought using incredible skill from luxurious materials, not only tells the story of the Prince’s extensive journey around parts of modern-day India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, but are also tangible reminders of the Prince’s personal experiences in India, as well as objects that embody ideas about diplomacy and empire,” said Kajal Meghani, curator of ‘Splendours of the Subcontinent: A Prince’s Tour of India 1875-6’, also by email.

Whoever said too much of a good thing is bad was clearly wrong. With two exhibitions for the price of one, it is a sensorial experience of all things elegant and inspiring.

( Both exhibitions are on view till October 14 )

Nivedita Choudhuri is a freelance journalist currently based in the UK

COMMENT NOW