Gifts for the Queen Empress

British-Indian relations transformed dramatically during Queen Victoria’s reign (r. 1837  –  1901). After Indian soldiers rebelled against the East India Company in 1857, the Company collapsed and all its territories in South Asia transferred to the British Crown.

This period also saw a boom in printing and the commercial book trade in India. Queen Victoria received books written about her and dedicated to her in several Indian languages. Some traditional elements of Indian manuscripts survived in printed books. Indian artists also took up photography and incorporated prints and photographs into their artistic practice.