Painted portrait of an unidentified group of men, Bikaner

Although black and white photography rose in popularity and acquired a mark in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Indian aristocrats sought to go a bit further to fully enjoy the medium. They ordered for their portraits to be coloured by hand, often using bold colours.

Photo studios accordingly worked in collaboration with artists and developed their own styles and palettes. The resulting photographic prints would be embellished with paint, except for the face and hands. This painted portrait is of an unidentified group of noblemen from Bikaner.

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