Ambassador of the King of Burma seated with Major Phayre
Painting
ca.1854 (made)
ca.1854 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is one of three paintings (along with IS.179-1950 and IS.181-1950) which illustrate the visit of the Burmese King Mindon's envoy to Calcutta in 1854.
At the end of 1854, following the second Anglo-Burmese war of 1852, after which southern Burma fell to British rule, the Burmese King, Mindon Min (r. 1853-1878), sent his ambassador Ashin Nanmadaw Payawun Mingyi on an embassy of good will from his court at Amarapura to the Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, in Calcutta. Sir Arthur Phayre, Commissioner of British Burma, accompanied the mission and acted as interpreter.
These three watercolours, which were presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum by the great niece of Sir Arthur Phayre, allow us to witness the pomp with which Burmese ministers travelled through the eyes of a Burmese court artist, who accompanied the mission.
At the third meeting in Calcutta, the ambassador is again shown with his entourage carrying his swords, gold umbrellas and receptacles of rank, but he is portrayed in a more relaxed mode, seated with Sir Arthur Phayre. His elaborate robes and headdress (see IS.179-1950 & IS. 181-1950) have been exchanged for items of dress that were worn by all classes of Burmese society--varying only in degree of costliness of fabric. A pahsoe (a type of sarong) of acheik luntaya silk worn with a simple white muslin ein-gyi (jacket) and gaung-baung (headcloth).
At the end of 1854, following the second Anglo-Burmese war of 1852, after which southern Burma fell to British rule, the Burmese King, Mindon Min (r. 1853-1878), sent his ambassador Ashin Nanmadaw Payawun Mingyi on an embassy of good will from his court at Amarapura to the Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, in Calcutta. Sir Arthur Phayre, Commissioner of British Burma, accompanied the mission and acted as interpreter.
These three watercolours, which were presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum by the great niece of Sir Arthur Phayre, allow us to witness the pomp with which Burmese ministers travelled through the eyes of a Burmese court artist, who accompanied the mission.
At the third meeting in Calcutta, the ambassador is again shown with his entourage carrying his swords, gold umbrellas and receptacles of rank, but he is portrayed in a more relaxed mode, seated with Sir Arthur Phayre. His elaborate robes and headdress (see IS.179-1950 & IS. 181-1950) have been exchanged for items of dress that were worn by all classes of Burmese society--varying only in degree of costliness of fabric. A pahsoe (a type of sarong) of acheik luntaya silk worn with a simple white muslin ein-gyi (jacket) and gaung-baung (headcloth).
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Ambassador of the King of Burma seated with Major Phayre (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Painting; Gouache on paper with gold high lights, the visit of the Burmese King Mindon's envoy to Calcutta in 1854, By an unknown artist but one who is believed to have been Burmese, Burma ca.1854 |
| Physical description | The Burmese envoy seated with Sir Arthur Phayre. The Burmese envoy's entourage (depicted in smaller scale indicating their lesser rank) is seated on the right holding his swords, gold umbrellas and receptacles of rank. The Burmese envoy is portrayed in less formal attire in this painting - he retains his salwe (chain of honour) but his elaborate robe and hat have been replaced by a white muslin ein-gyi (jacket) and gaung-baung (turban). Inscribed at the top in Burmese characters: Arrived in Calcutta on Tuesday 9th waxing moon of Nadaw 1216 [Burmese era]. Picture of his exalted Majesty Bawashin Mindayagyipaya's [King Mindon's] ambassador Ashin Manmadan Mipayakhaunggyi Payawan Mingyi and the administrators of Pegu Province Arata Bayawi Phwayya [ie Arthur Purves Phayre}1216 [Burmese era; ie 1854] (Translation provided by U Tin Pe, Burmese Embassy) |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Given by Mrs Crawley-Boevey, widow of Arthur William Crawley-Boevey (1845-1913). His collection of Indian artefacts, of which 83 objects were donated to the Museum, was made while he was serving as Collector and Magistrate in the Bombay Civil Service in the District of Dharwar, in the former Bombay Presidency, 1891-92. Since Independence Dharwar has been known as Dharwad and is in the State of Karnataka. |
| Production | Although the artist of these three paintings (see also Museum nos. IS.179-1950 and IS.181-1950) is unknown, Noel Singer in 2002 states that they are without doubt the work of a Burmese panchee-daw (court artist) who was probably taken on the mission to Calcutta in 1854. Mildred Archer in "Company Paintings" (see Ref. below) was also of the opinion that they were executed by a Burmese artist. Previously considered illustrations recording Sir Arthur Phayre's mission to Mandalay in 1855. When Mildred Archer had the Burmese inscriptions above the paintings translated by U Tin Pe of the Burmese Embassy in London they were re-attributed to the earlier mission in December 1854 led by the Chief Queen's Ambassador Ashin Nanmadaw Payawun Mingyi from the Court of Mindon to Calcutta. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This is one of three paintings (along with IS.179-1950 and IS.181-1950) which illustrate the visit of the Burmese King Mindon's envoy to Calcutta in 1854. At the end of 1854, following the second Anglo-Burmese war of 1852, after which southern Burma fell to British rule, the Burmese King, Mindon Min (r. 1853-1878), sent his ambassador Ashin Nanmadaw Payawun Mingyi on an embassy of good will from his court at Amarapura to the Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, in Calcutta. Sir Arthur Phayre, Commissioner of British Burma, accompanied the mission and acted as interpreter. These three watercolours, which were presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum by the great niece of Sir Arthur Phayre, allow us to witness the pomp with which Burmese ministers travelled through the eyes of a Burmese court artist, who accompanied the mission. At the third meeting in Calcutta, the ambassador is again shown with his entourage carrying his swords, gold umbrellas and receptacles of rank, but he is portrayed in a more relaxed mode, seated with Sir Arthur Phayre. His elaborate robes and headdress (see IS.179-1950 & IS. 181-1950) have been exchanged for items of dress that were worn by all classes of Burmese society--varying only in degree of costliness of fabric. A pahsoe (a type of sarong) of acheik luntaya silk worn with a simple white muslin ein-gyi (jacket) and gaung-baung (headcloth). |
| Bibliographic reference | Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period
Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 181, 182 p. ISBN 0944142303 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.180-1950 |
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| Record created | September 5, 2003 |
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