Royalty hardly stares at you in the face anymore, it's no more an affair of literal thrones and glitter. That's why a glimpse into India's colonial royalty is as fascinating as opening your grandmother's old photo album.
That's what the exhibition “A Journey into the Time of the Maharajas” at the Tasveer gallery (in association with Vacheron Constantin) is all about.
The exhibition is showcasing over 28 portraits of kings, nizams, maharanas and maharajas across the country, in all their splendour. These kings are usually seated on, or standing next to an ornate chair, most often with a sheathed sword resting in their hands.
Some of these kings are boys, some are men and most of them have a marked bearing of royalty that reveals itself both cautiously, in the men and smugly, in the boys. The photographs are full of myriad expressions, usually revealing the nature of its subjects.
The portraits themselves are passionately taken, reflecting the fascination that photography held in that period.
That was the time around which photography first came to India in the 19 century, shares Tasveer in its introduction in the gallery.
The write-up helpfully describes how the entry of photography and the subsequent appearance of travelling photo booths ensured that the high society, predominantly made up of royalty, was inevitably captured by these passionate artists.
Some of these photographs were also skilfully painted upon to create a studio-like backdrop of gardens or to simply add elements like ornate tables onto the photograph. This is evident in photographs like that of Maharana Fateh Singh of Jaipur.
Though the composition is usually similar, each photographer brings out the character of his subject, in his expression.
Often the eyes or the smile (or its lack, thereof) says it all, despite the fact that each of these kings are similarly dressed or positioned. There are also a few ‘offbeat' pictures, like the photograph of The Nizam of Hyderabad in his ‘suit', leaning against some furniture, looking sombre.
The exhibition is a refreshing perspective of India's rich legacy and is definitely worth a visit. “A Journey into the time of the Maharajas” will be on view at Tasveer, #26/1, SUA House, Kasturba Cross Road, until February 9.
For more information, contact 40535217.
