Emily Eden: The Englishwoman Who Sketched India Before Photography

An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

As a British artist accompanying my brother, the Governor-General, I traveled across northern India in the 1830s, sketching princes, servants, and warriors with curious precision. My drawings captured a subcontinent on the brink of profound change, offering a rare visual record before photography took hold. Though I initially struggled with homesickness, my observations evolved into a celebrated collection of portraits that documented the diverse people and landscapes of the empire.

"We mean to keep our steamer here and to go out sketching in it."