Artwork

Sir Auckland Colvin and Family, Shimla

Sir Auckland Colvin and Family, Shimla, by Raja Deen Dayal, 1887
Sir Auckland Colvin and Family, Shimla, by Raja Deen Dayal, 1887

Sir Auckland Colvin and Family, Shimla is a photography by the Impressionist artist Raja Deen Dayal. It dates from 1887 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Sir Auckland Colvin and Family, Shimla is a photograph taken by Deen Dayal in 1887. It depicts Sir Auckland Colvin with his daughters in a garden setting.

Subject & Meaning

The photograph shows Sir Auckland Colvin, a British administrator, with his three daughters. Two framed photographs on a table, likely of his deceased wife and son, are the focal point around which the family is arranged, symbolically reuniting them.

Technique & Style

The photograph was taken using a large glass plate negative and view camera, requiring daylight and careful posing to avoid blur. The resulting image is formal, with the sitters arranged in a deliberate composition, yet softened by the surrounding greenery.

History & Provenance

The photograph was taken in 1887, the year Sir Auckland Colvin became lieutenant governor of North-Western Provinces, a position previously held by his father.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Raja Deen Dayal

Artist

Raja Deen Dayal

Raja Lala Deen Dayal, famously known as Raja Deen Dayal) was an Indian photographer.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.