Portraits of the Maharanis

As powerful symbols of exotic India, the Maharanis of India fascinate.  Who were they?  What were their lives like?

The Maharajahs and Maharanis of India were semi-independent rulers, responsible for governing territories outside the direct control of the British Empire. They fascinated the British public and functioned as powerful symbols of ‘exotic India’.

Drawing on an extensive collection of portraits and photographs of Indian Maharanis we look into their lives and memoirs, and the role they played in the Empire.  The images and the costumes they depict are stunning works of art in their own right, providing some of the earliest images of Indian women, and portraying them as powerful, dignified and educated figures.

Historian John Stevens teaches and publishes on British Imperial and Indian history at the University of London.

The lecture will be followed by a reception and an opportunity to meet the speaker.