Photo 355/9(26)

Genre: Portrait Photography

Full-length seated group portrait of Umat Rajputs, photographed at Bhopal. This portrait is reproduced as plate 374, vol VII of J. Forbes Watson, 'The People of India' (8 vols, London, 1868-75), where the central figure is identified as Kunwar Mytab Singh.

For notes on the dress and physical characteristics of the sitters, see the table in Government of India Foreign Consultations (General), July 1863 (IOR P/205/14), p. 41. The sitters are there identified as (front row, left to right):Oomed Singh (aged 35), Rusool Khan, Pathan (aged 40), Koonwur Mytab Singh, son of the Raja of Nursingurh (aged 25), Nawul Singh, Kychee Rajput (aged 23), Nursing Lalji, Chundrawut (aged 24); (standing): Amra, Rajput servant (aged about 30). Waterhouse describes the sitting as follows: 'This photograph was taken in the camp of Mytab Singh at Bhopal, November 6th 1862. It was taken in a sort of shamiana, and it was, therefore, difficult to obtain a proper light. I made several trials, but was obliged to be content with the accompanying picture, though it is defective in many points. Had time and circumstances allowed me, I should have paid a visit to Nursingurh and Rajgurh, and have made more and better photographs of the Omuts.'

[Albumen print, 205x110mm].

Subjects = Dunlop Smith Collection; ethnic groups; Rajputs