Echoes Across Empires
Posted On
Foreign Artists in India, 1857–1947, at The Taj Mahal Palace
From May 1 to June 28, 2025, The Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba, Mumbai, becomes the setting for an extraordinary group exhibition titled Destination India: Foreign Artists in India 1857–1947. Set against the grand colonial-era backdrop of the iconic hotel, this carefully curated show explores a profound yet often overlooked chapter in India’s art history—the experiences and interpretations of foreign artists who lived and worked in the subcontinent during the pivotal period from the First War of Independence to the eve of Indian freedom.
Organised with historical insight and artistic reverence, the exhibition assembles works from artists of European and American origin who journeyed to India during the colonial era. Their motivations varied—some came as official painters, others as travellers, missionaries, scholars, or adventurers—but all were drawn irresistibly to the richness of Indian culture, landscape, and life.
This was a period of great upheaval and transformation. As the British Raj tightened its grip over India following 1857, the country became both a political chessboard and an aesthetic muse for many outsiders. The artworks in Destination India span a wide spectrum of media, including watercolours, oils, lithographs, ink sketches, and travelogues. Together, they serve as a visual record of how India was seen, interpreted, and at times idealised through foreign eyes.
Among the more celebrated names featured is the British artist William Simpson, known for his detailed illustrations of Indian temples, architecture, and battlefields. His journalistic approach combined artistry with documentation, capturing the impact of colonial expansion and resistance. Also included are works by French painter Hippolyte Flandrin and the Austrian artist Marianne North, whose botanical studies reveal both scientific precision and personal fascination with India’s biodiversity.
What makes the exhibition particularly compelling is its subtle undercurrent of artistic diplomacy. The pieces do not merely depict India—they reveal the lens through which outsiders viewed it, often blending admiration with orientalist romanticism. As curator Dr. Rina Kapoor notes, “These works are not just artistic impressions; they are cultural negotiations, windows into how India was aesthetically colonised even as it resisted political control.”
Beyond the painters, the show also pays tribute to photographers and printmakers of the time, such as Samuel Bourne and John Lockwood Kipling, whose visual narratives helped shape Western perceptions of India for generations. The inclusion of these lesser-known contributors adds depth to the exhibition, highlighting the collaborative and sometimes problematic nature of cross-cultural representation.
Housed within the stately halls of The Taj Mahal Palace—a site symbolic of both colonial legacy and modern Indian identity—the exhibition becomes more than a display of historical art. It is an invitation to reflect on India’s artistic entanglements with the West, and how such interactions influenced the evolution of Indian modernism. The proximity of the sea, the grandeur of the Indo-Saracenic architecture, and the cultural dynamism of Mumbai itself heighten the immersive experience.
Importantly, Destination India does not present its subjects as mere spectators. Many foreign artists forged genuine connections with India and were changed by their experiences. Some, like Russian-born Svetoslav Roerich, remained in India permanently and became active participants in its cultural and spiritual movements. Their legacy continues to resonate in the works of contemporary Indian artists influenced by global idioms and international dialogues.
Through over 100 rare artworks sourced from museums, private collections, and archives across Europe and India, the exhibition provides a textured, nuanced view of India’s pre-independence visual history. It reminds viewers that art is never created in a vacuum, and that cultural encounters—no matter how fraught—can yield powerful, enduring expressions. For visitors, Destination India: Foreign Artists in India 1857–1947 offers more than nostalgia or historical novelty. It is an aesthetic and intellectual journey across time, borders, and sensibilities—an invitation to rediscover India through the curious, critical, and often admiring gaze of the outsider.
