Not currently on display at the V&A

Watercolour Drawing

1853-1885 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This album gives detailed visual depictions of a wide range of officials and their wives from the last Burmese court at Mandalay (1853-1885) together with their regalia of rank. The period covered encompasses the reigns of King Mindon Min (1852-1878) and Thibaw (1878-1885). Included are grades of court officials, army officers, princes, Brahmin priests and members of ethnic minorities. It is likely that the album was created on the orders of a European visitor using local court artists.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Laid paper and watercolour
Brief description
Watercolour drawing from a bound album of 48 drawings depicting officials of the Burmese court at Mandalay, Ca.1853-1885
Physical description
Watercolour drawing of a seated prince annotated in top right corner 'Prince of Copay' The figure is seated on a rectangular rug. He wears an outer robe of patterned red. He wears a crown shaped as a twisted spire of light blue cloth with red decorations, the whole crown tied under the chin.
Dimensions
  • Height: 37.2cm
  • Width: 23.5cm
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support and support of the Friends of the V&A
Object history
Formerly in the collection of Robert Hoe (1839-1909) bibliophile and member of the Grolier Club.
It was later owned by Doris Duke, who collected South East Asian art during the 1950s and 1960s.
Summary
This album gives detailed visual depictions of a wide range of officials and their wives from the last Burmese court at Mandalay (1853-1885) together with their regalia of rank. The period covered encompasses the reigns of King Mindon Min (1852-1878) and Thibaw (1878-1885). Included are grades of court officials, army officers, princes, Brahmin priests and members of ethnic minorities. It is likely that the album was created on the orders of a European visitor using local court artists.
Collection
Accession number
IS.136:37-2009

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Record createdJanuary 11, 2011
Record URL
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