Album of drawings from Mandalay

Burmese

V&A (Victoria & Albert Museum)

circa 1857-1885

This album of 48 drawings contains detailed depictions of a wide range of officials and their wives from the court of the last kings of Burma at Mandalay (1853-1885). Costumes are carefully depicted and each personage is accompanied by his or her insignia of rank such as swords, musical instruments and betel nut containers. Included are different grades of court officials, high ranking army officers, princes and other significant court figures of the time, including Brahmin priests. This album is an important addition to the V&A's collection of Burmese court costume and books showing court dress from the same time period.

• Medium: watercolour & gold on paper
• Dimensions: 38 x 23.5cm
• Art Fund Grant: £11000 ( Total: £27,000)
• ArtFunded in: 2009
• Vendor: Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch Ltd

Provenance

Robert Hoe; Doris Duke; Millea Auction House, New Jersey, 2009; Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch Ltd.

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