Eggs, salt & the delicious decades of albumen print photos
How albumen, a sticky substance found in egg whites, took the elite European hobby of photography and turned into a global phenomenon
Painted photography
Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II of Jaipur
Sawai Madho Singh II (1862-1922) was the adoptive son of Ram Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur. On 30 September 1880, at the age of twenty, he ascended the throne of Jaipur. This is a hand-painted photograph of the Maharaja photographed by Gobindram and Oodeyram, preeminent photographers in Jaipur in the 1880s. The late 19th century… Read more »
The Interview Panel
‘The Interview Panel’ is a typical example of the works of Alexander Gorlizki and Riyaz Uddin; quirky and humorous. Here, the artists have worked over an unidentified painted photograph in miniature style. They toy with and expand the ideas of painted photography and miniature art. The compositions, colours and intricate patterns drawn on these family… Read more »
Gathering on a Family Farm
Quirky and humorous, ‘Gathering of a Family Farm’ is a work of artist Alexander Gorlizki with Riyaz Uddin. Here, the artists have painted over an unidentified family portrait in miniature style. They toy with and expand the ideas of painted photography and family portraiture. The painting makes use of a collage-like technique and at the… Read more »
Painted photograph of Udaji Rao II Pawar, Maharaja of Dhar State and his wife Lakshmi Bai
This painted portrait is identified as Udaji Rao Pawar, Maharaja of Dhar and his wife Lakshmibai. It was created in 1933. 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… Read more »
Now reading: The stories every picture tells
An initiation into the Sarmaya team involves the confrontation of and acclimating to certain books from our library. New ‘uns are told this is necessary reading meant to familiarise them with the genres of the collection. Each object inhabits a world that is resonant and multi-faceted and it’s impossible to know where to start. “Today… Read more »
Early Photography
A 21st-century take on vintage photography techniques like platinum prints, stereoscopic photos and cyanotypes. Plus, an intriguing trail of portraits of Indian women from the Caribbean
Picture Perfect: 19th-Century Photography Techniques
Discover the magical alchemy of early photography techniques practiced in India
Saturday Art Class – Painted photography workshop
We flag off a promising new collaboration to bring art to over a thousand children studying in municipal schools across Mumbai
Painted Photograph of Highness Maharaja George Jivaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior
In this painted photograph of Jiwaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior (r.1925-1948), one can notice how the backdrop has been painted over the picture. Here, the setting is that of a European garden. Some rudimentary architecture is in place, but the rest of the space is left blank. Look closer at the young prince’s face, and… Read more »
Painted Photograph of Maharana Bhupal Singh of Udaipur
In the West, hand-painting was only used to add delicate highlights or make modest adjustments to images. But the method took a special and distinctively vivid turn in India. Indian royals were first enamoured with photography, but they quickly began to believe that there was something lacking in the images. Something of the grandeur and… Read more »
Say Cheese, Your Majesty
It was love at first click for India’s royalty and the 19th century’s most exciting new art form: photography
Prince of Morvi, painted photograph
The tradition of painted photography was a syncretic visual culture that began in India in the 19th century, at almost the same time as photography made its debut here. This genre became extremely popular, particularly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, fuelled partly by a dissatisfaction with black and white photographs and partly by rising unemployment among… Read more »