Reception of a Native Prince

1828

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

Reception of a Native Prince is a 1828 by Robert Captain Smith, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Robert Captain Smith
When & what style?: 1828 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a group of people walking in a line, led by two elephants carrying decorated platforms. Soldiers hold flags and rifles, while a few people on horseback follow behind. Trees and buildings line the path, and the scene looks like a formal welcome. The title at the bottom says it’s a "Reception of a Native Prince," so this might be a ceremonial arrival. The drawing uses fine lines and shading to show details. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more of this artist’s work.

The story of this work

Overview

The drawing illustrates a ceremonial reception for a local ruler, rendered in pencil as part of a travel journal kept by Captain Robert Smith during his voyage along the Ganges in 1828–29. It belongs to a group of 65 detached and mounted illustrations from Smith’s unpublished manuscript, which also documents his later travels in northern India between 1831 and 1832. The work was compiled after his retirement to Ireland in 1833 and completed in 1845. Acquired by the museum in 1915, it is recorded under object number R.P. 1915-2682M.

Read the full account in the museum source.