The Indian Subcontinent is an area encompassing modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. It is home to some of the richest manuscript and painting traditions in the world. The works of art that you will see in this exhibition reflect its diverse cultures and compelling histories. They are typically small in scale and written or painted by hand. Unlike in Europe, the manuscript craft endured well into the nineteenth century in India. Later Indian printed books and photographs also included elements of earlier manuscript and painting traditions. Many of the finest examples in the Royal Collection were diplomatic gifts presented by Indian rulers to British sovereigns. These manuscripts and paintings are part of a shared history between Britain and the Indian Subcontinent which is explored throughout the exhibition.