Cathy's Art Diary

Excellent online lecture from the Paul Mellon Centre discussing a portrait of the Maharani Jind Kaur which was shown at the Royal Academy annual show in 1865. Adam Eker, from the Metropolitan Museum, which has recent acquired this work by George Richmond, took us though how the picture was commissioned by the sitter’s son, Duleep Singh, possibly to mark the return of her jewelry from the British government. He put the work in the context of other work representing the Indian subcontinent in Royal Academy shows and in particular works which engaged with the idea of women in purdah. He talked about how the women were often exoticized. He then talked about how it was shown at the Royal Academy show. The Maharani was a well-known, although controversial, figure in London so the work drew the critics and Eker outlined some of the press reporting of the work. This was a clearly explained overview of ongoing research to inform an exhibition at the Met in collaboration with Tate Brita...

Interesting exhibition at SOAS, University of London looking at the role played by Sikh’s in the First World War. At the outbreak of the war Sikh’s made up 1% of the population of India but came to make up 20% of the Indian Army and their role was critical in the early months of the war. I have always been fascinated by the role of Indian’s in the war as my grandfather served with them and admired them. The exhibition was well laid out with lots of information and great photos round the walls. Most interesting was the recording the German’s made of Sikh prisoners of war. Although I couldn’t understand the language is was magical to hear a voice directly from the First World War. I’ve seen lots of photos, painting and films over the last few weeks but that was the first voice I’d heard! I would like to have seen more objects from the war but the photo and commentary more than made up for this.