Foster 213

Darbar at Udaipur, Rajasthan, 1855, February 1855

In the centre of the picture is seated the Maharana of Udaipur, Sarup Singh. Behind him are two attendants with peacock-feather fans. Through an arch can be seen a lake with pavilions. On the Maharana’s right are Colonel Sir Henry Lawrence, K.C.B., the Governor-General’s Agent for Rajputana; his brother, Colonel (afterwards Sir George) Lawrence; Captain (afterwards General) J.C. Brooke; and Dr. H.A. Ebden, the Residency surgeon. On his left are the Thakurs of Udaipur, including Thakur Bakht Singh, the Rao of Bedla (in blue), and the Rao of Pasoli (in light green). In front of the Maharana is Mehta Sher Singh, the Pardhan or Minister of State, who is unrolling the kaulnama or terms of agreement; behind him is the Maharana’s Purohit, or Chaplain, holding a string of beads.

This darbar was held in January 1855 to settle the disturbed state of Udaipur

39 by 60 ins (99 by 152.5 cms)

Purchased from General G.G. Pearse, C.B., 1894

Literature: M. Archer and R. Lightbown (1982), no.133

Exhibited: ‘India observed’, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982 (133)

The painting of this picture is referred to in a letter dictated by little Honoria Lawrence with comments added by her father, Henry Lawrence (Mss Eur F85, 112, notebook no.18):

‘18 Feb 1855. Camp. Oodypore, Meywar.

My dear Brothers,

Papa sits for his picture and I sit with him. He looks very nice, and say he puts his star on; and Dr. Ebden our doctor and Capt. Brooke and Uncle he sits. Your affectionate little sister Honoria L Lawrence.

I forgot. Aunty took me to see the tigers one day, and Aunt George took me to see tigers and I went to see the Ood Saugur yesterday, to spend the day there, and I think it is very pretty. There is a lake at Oody Saugur. I think it is a very pretty lake and there is a Bund. I am going to Aboo with Aunty and Papa is coming afterwards, but I wish he could go with me to Aboo, because I love Papa and want him to come with me. I think the doctor looks nice and so does Papa. I think Papa looks best of all. The Natives sit. Mir Null and the Rana. No more. I think Brothers will like that.

(Interpretation of the above by Papa). An artist by name Mr. Louis, who paints beautifully, is painting a picture of the Oodypoor Durbar - with Uncle - myself - and the other officers in it. Mr. Louis has painted several other Durbars. He and his brother are well known in England, especially his brother who paints Egyptian scenes. Oody Saugur is a lake (Saugur means Ocean) ten miles from Oodypoor called after Rana Oody Singh, the founder of Oodypoor. I rode out and back to breakfast - but all the ladies etc stay the whole day. Three tigers are chained on an island in the Lake - close to the Town.’

A painting of the same scene made by an Udaipur artist, Tara, is in the National Gallery of Victoria (see A. Topsfield, ‘Paintings from Rajasthan in the National Gallery of Victoria’ (Melbourne, 1980), no 273). It is amusing to note that the Indian artist shows the British kneeling like Indians but Lewis shows them sitting rather uncomfortably cross-legged. The Indian painting, however, is architecturally more accurate for Lewis has inserted an imaginary view of the lake behind the Maharana.