| Story Text | [{"record_id":"0","storytext":"Emily Eden was a talented artist, accomplished novelist, and compulsive communicator who managed to capture the tumultuous politics and cultural complexities of nineteenth century India through her sketches, letters and novels. Like many women of the British aristocracy, Eden received private lessons in painting and watercolour, a skill she expertly utilised during her time in India, sketching a variety of landscapes, genre scenes and portraits. \r\nAfter her return to England, she published a series of her drawings as a set of twenty-four lithographs titled Portraits of the Princes and People of India<\/i>, in 1844. This work is Plate 24 of the series and is accompanied by a letterpress, providing us with an intimate perspective of the ceremonial pageantry of durbars.","storytextauthor":"","initialize":"true"},{"record_id":"1","storytext":"Based on Emily Eden\u2019s letters from her time in India, this durbar, or formal reception, was held on the morning of 19 January 1839, with the Raja of Nahan and visiting Sikh chiefs. While this event was not one of the grander durbars the Edens\u2019 had witnessed, both Emily and her sister, Fanny, had gone over to visit and sketch the ceremony.","storytextauthor":"","initialize":"true"},{"record_id":"2","storytext":"George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland, was the eldest brother of Emily Eden and served as the governor general of India from 1836 to 1842. Seated on an ornate armchair with a carved lion armrest, he is dressed in formal attire, his Order of the Bath medal, awarded to him in 1836 after his appointment as governor general, pinned to his coat.","storytextauthor":"","initialize":"true"},{"record_id":"3","storytext":"Seated to the right of George Eden is Raja Fateh Prakash, the ruler of Nahan, or the princely state of Sirmaur, who reigned from 1815 until his death in 1850. The blue-eyed raja was much favoured by Emily Eden for his good looks and charming demeanour, and was the only sitter to feature twice in Portraits of the Princes and People of India<\/i>.","storytextauthor":"","initialize":"true"},{"record_id":"4","storytext":"Behind the governor general and other seated dignitaries are the chobdars<\/i> or mace-bearers, carrying ceremonial maces that symbolised the power and authority of Lord Auckland. They are dressed in distinct red livery and large turbans, distinguishing them as servants of the Government House in Calcutta.","storytextauthor":"","initialize":"true"},{"record_id":"5","storytext":"Laid in front of the seated dignitaries are an array of gifts for Lord Auckland from the visiting Indian rulers and reciprocal presents from the governor general. This elaborate exchange of gifts served as a formal gesture of goodwill and appreciation during durbars.","storytextauthor":"","initialize":"true"},{"record_id":"6","storytext":"Standing next to the presented gifts are Indian Aides-de-Camp to the governor general. During formal receptions, these men were responsible for ceremonial tasks such as recording the amount and value of presents received and given, and maintaining courtly etiquette based on the titles and honours due to the honoured guests.","storytextauthor":"","initialize":"true"}] |
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| Art Artist Names Single | Emily Eden |
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