Maharajah: The Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington
Maharajah: The Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington
This is an unbelievably impressive exhibition maintaining the usual high standard of events at the V & A. India was overwhelmed by stronger neighbours, then by Western Imperialists, seeking a colony that fitted with their nostrums, that might be strategically advantageous. Even today the current war is based really on Indo-Pakistan relations representing the Islamification of east and west India (now Pakistan and Bangladesh) first brought about by the Moghuls. The Moghuls, a nation that originated in Persia but actual descendants of the Timurids, hence their homeland Moghulistan (Mongolistan). The Moghuls were essentially militaristic, even more militaristic than the native Rajputs, who seemed to have lived by a kind of Zealot ethic, preferring suicide to dishonour. They were clearly a very powerful presence until their influence waned and the British came to establish the Raj, but the words we have of 'Indian' in English (for instance, bungalow, pyjamas, khaki) are really Persian words. The Moghuls also adapted firearms and this is where their creativity was exemplified. They liked to mount rockets on howdahs (the little cabin perched on top of a war elephant beside the mahout or driver who held an ankus, a sharp-ended hook, with which the Mahout controlled the elephant or killed it. The elephants were often driven mad in the heat of battle, especially when firearms were discharged in their close proximity...) or filled howdahs with musketeers, experimented with rocket armed camelmen, and also created powerful bombards (early cannon), arquebuses (early firearms) and matchlock muskets.
Warfare is a focus of the exhibition, but the overwhelming focus is on the art of the Maharajah era (which is still unfolding, of course). Basically the progress of so-called native art was mainly primitive yet highly decorative era that followed the Moghul invasion, then increasing Westernisation (for instance, the usage of perspective on an ad hoc basis. Basically the scale of heirarchies implicit in pre-perspectival art, ie the size of the person in the image is decided by their importance in the social heirarchy, not by their relation to the artist viewer. This reflected an uneasiness about the Western discourse of art, as if both traditions could somehow co-exist and are implicitly equalised, creating a variety of fascinating yet bewilderingly confusing paintings.)
The Maharajahs (meaning 'Great King') were expected to process with their elephants, servants, fans, parasols, attendants, but also to deliberate on law, politics, possess proven martial valour, endorse and encourage the arts, hence the plethora of artistic depictions of Maharajas made by artists specifically in receipt of a Maharajah's patronage.
The paintings in this exhibition are really a complete exhibition in their own right. Firstly they are historical documents, depicting often crucial moments in Indian history, but also offering the modern viewer insight into the leisure time of India's Maharajahs; the nature of processions, religious rites, holidays, ceremonies, military formations and the court of the Maharajah. Indian art becomes increasingly Westernised until it coincides with Modernity and the Indian Maharajah becomes entirely capable of being at home within his own culture or in the West, learning to waltz, fascinated by new western artforms like photography, possessing a Rolls Royce Phantom (with lots of additions) or dressing in western clothes while reclining in a rather louche fashion to be painted in a very Modernist, yet realistic way. The Maharajah's encompass the passion and wonderment of the sub-continent bound up in feudal rites, ceremonies, habits while entertaining Modernity, Westernisation and anything else that seemed decadent, amoral and outrageous. Somehow it seems that something must ultimately give: tradition and obedience seem barriers to the rest of the world rather than aspects of common sense.
In some ways this exhibition is ultimately too exhaustive, perhaps attempting too much in a given space, almost justifying two exhibition tickets, for one attempt to see everything is a squeeze. However the material is ultimately worth the expense which is really saying something.
Paul Murphy, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
This is an unbelievably impressive exhibition maintaining the usual high standard of events at the V & A. India was overwhelmed by stronger neighbours, then by Western Imperialists, seeking a colony that fitted with their nostrums, that might be strategically advantageous. Even today the current war is based really on Indo-Pakistan relations representing the Islamification of east and west India (now Pakistan and Bangladesh) first brought about by the Moghuls. The Moghuls, a nation that originated in Persia but actual descendants of the Timurids, hence their homeland Moghulistan (Mongolistan). The Moghuls were essentially militaristic, even more militaristic than the native Rajputs, who seemed to have lived by a kind of Zealot ethic, preferring suicide to dishonour. They were clearly a very powerful presence until their influence waned and the British came to establish the Raj, but the words we have of 'Indian' in English (for instance, bungalow, pyjamas, khaki) are really Persian words. The Moghuls also adapted firearms and this is where their creativity was exemplified. They liked to mount rockets on howdahs (the little cabin perched on top of a war elephant beside the mahout or driver who held an ankus, a sharp-ended hook, with which the Mahout controlled the elephant or killed it. The elephants were often driven mad in the heat of battle, especially when firearms were discharged in their close proximity...) or filled howdahs with musketeers, experimented with rocket armed camelmen, and also created powerful bombards (early cannon), arquebuses (early firearms) and matchlock muskets.
Warfare is a focus of the exhibition, but the overwhelming focus is on the art of the Maharajah era (which is still unfolding, of course). Basically the progress of so-called native art was mainly primitive yet highly decorative era that followed the Moghul invasion, then increasing Westernisation (for instance, the usage of perspective on an ad hoc basis. Basically the scale of heirarchies implicit in pre-perspectival art, ie the size of the person in the image is decided by their importance in the social heirarchy, not by their relation to the artist viewer. This reflected an uneasiness about the Western discourse of art, as if both traditions could somehow co-exist and are implicitly equalised, creating a variety of fascinating yet bewilderingly confusing paintings.)
The Maharajahs (meaning 'Great King') were expected to process with their elephants, servants, fans, parasols, attendants, but also to deliberate on law, politics, possess proven martial valour, endorse and encourage the arts, hence the plethora of artistic depictions of Maharajas made by artists specifically in receipt of a Maharajah's patronage.
The paintings in this exhibition are really a complete exhibition in their own right. Firstly they are historical documents, depicting often crucial moments in Indian history, but also offering the modern viewer insight into the leisure time of India's Maharajahs; the nature of processions, religious rites, holidays, ceremonies, military formations and the court of the Maharajah. Indian art becomes increasingly Westernised until it coincides with Modernity and the Indian Maharajah becomes entirely capable of being at home within his own culture or in the West, learning to waltz, fascinated by new western artforms like photography, possessing a Rolls Royce Phantom (with lots of additions) or dressing in western clothes while reclining in a rather louche fashion to be painted in a very Modernist, yet realistic way. The Maharajah's encompass the passion and wonderment of the sub-continent bound up in feudal rites, ceremonies, habits while entertaining Modernity, Westernisation and anything else that seemed decadent, amoral and outrageous. Somehow it seems that something must ultimately give: tradition and obedience seem barriers to the rest of the world rather than aspects of common sense.
In some ways this exhibition is ultimately too exhaustive, perhaps attempting too much in a given space, almost justifying two exhibition tickets, for one attempt to see everything is a squeeze. However the material is ultimately worth the expense which is really saying something.
Paul Murphy, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
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