Search results

Start typing

Illustration of an Indian woman holding a flower
This exhibition is in the past. View our current exhibitions.

Encountering the Raj

Tradition and modernity

During the period of British Crown rule in India (known as the British Raj, 1858–1947) members of the royal family made grand public tours of the subcontinent. By adopting South Asian courtly rituals of durbars and big game hunts they projected themselves as heirs to the Mughal emperors of the past. Carefully staged images of these imperial occasions circulated worldwide.

The early twentieth century saw the rise of the swaraj (self‑rule) movement in India. Many Modern painters responded to colonial politics by reviving earlier South Asian artistic traditions. Queen Mary acquired several works of art by Modern Indian painters including the final painting in this exhibition. 


The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.