Franz-Xaver Winterhalter ( 1805-1873) - Maharadjah Duleep Singh

Franz-Xaver Winterhalter ( 1805-1873)

Maharadjah  Duleep Singh, the last maharadjah of Punjab in 1854

The Royal Trust Collection 

Queen Victoria was captivated by Dalip Singh (1838-93) when first introduced to him in 1854, the year in which he was brought to England, having surrendered his sovereignty of the Punjab in 1849. She recorded in her journal on 10 July 1854 that 'Winterhalter was in ecstasies at the beauty and nobility of bearing of the young Maharaja. He was very amiable and patient, standing so still and giving a sitting of upwards of 2 hrs'. Queen Victoria's fascination with India continued throughout her life and this was one of many portraits that she commissioned of Indian sitters. However, Winterhalter's male portraits are rarely as romantic or exotic as this image, which places the young Maharaja in an imaginary landscape in Indian dress. 

The Maharaja is shown wearing his diamond aigrette and star in his turban and a jewel-framed miniature of Queen Victoria by Emily Eden. During one of the sittings he was shown the Koh-i N?r diamond that he had surrendered in 1849. Queen Victoria recorded how she had given him the newly recut jewel to inspect and that he then handed it back to her, saying how much pleasure it gave him to be able to make the gift in person. He quickly became a close friend of the royal family, visiting them at Osborne and inviting the Prince of Wales to shooting parties on his estate at Elveden Hall in Suffolk. However, Dalip Singh's financial difficulties and disaffection with British politics led him to become involved in various international intrigues in an attempt to regain his throne and he died in exile in Paris.

Commissioned by Queen Victoria, 1854

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2016 - Men Portraits 
Un blog de Francis Rousseau