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Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar as a child
Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar as a child

Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar as a child

Place of OriginRajasthan state, India, former kingdom of Alwar
Dateapprox. 1870-1880
MaterialsAlbumen silver print, hand-colored
DimensionsH. 6 3/8 in x W. 4 3/4 in, H. 16.2 cm x W. 12.1 cm (image)
Credit LineFrom the Collection of William K. Ehrenfeld, M.D.
Object number2005.64.124
DepartmentSouth Asian Art
ClassificationsPhotography
On View
Not on view
More Information
Photography was adopted in India, including the Rajasthani kingdoms of Alwar and Jaipur, not long after its invention in Europe in 1839. In its early days, photography was considered a “documentary” medium—and therefore, truer to life—in comparison with the “artifice” of painting, even though both have the potential to be subjective and selective representations of reality. Compared with the painted portraits nearby, this photograph’s naturalism establishes an immediate connection between the young Jai Singh and the viewer. But before color photography, paintings could offer information about the sitter that a black-and-white photograph could not, such as details of clothing, accessories, and setting; focus attention on chosen features; adjust scale and perspective for impact, etc. This painted photograph of the maharaja combines the advantages of painting and photography to create a realistic yet, at the same time, idealized portrait.