Victorian Encounters
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.
Indian School, 19th century
Maharajah Ranjit Singh
Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1819-1901)
Maharaja Dalip Singh dressing Prince Arthur in Indian costume
Wajid 'Ali Shah, King of Oudh (reg. 1847-1856)
Ishqnamah.
Pandit Ray Narayan (active 1856-75)
Sraj al-tavarikh
Moonshee Ameer Ali Khan Bahadoor
The Ameer Namah / Persian works compiled by Moonshee Ameer Ali Khan Bahadoor ; with an abstract translation in English.
Indian
Loyal Address
Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1819-1901)
The Queen's travels in Scotland and Ireland / translated into Hindi / by / the Maharaja of Bena'ras
Unknown Person
Queen Victoria is presented with a book
Calcutta, Bombay & Simla : Bourne & Shepherd (active 1864-1900s)
Indian Chiefs, 1887
Unknown Person
Hafiz Abdul Karim (1863-1909) and Sheikh Muhammad Bakhsh
Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1819-1901)
