{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O60322"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O60322/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF4320/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF4320/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF4320","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O60322/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O60322","accessionNumber":"IS.179-1950","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"One of three drawings  recording the mission of friendship led by Sir Arthur Phayre and his meeting with the envoy of King Mindon of Burma in Calcutta, 1854.","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is one of three paintings (along with IS.180-1950, IS.181-1950) which illustrate the visit of the Burmese King Mindon's envoy to Calcutta in 1854.  \r\n\r\nAt the end of 1854, following the second Anglo-Burmese war of 1852, after which southern Burma fell to British rule, the Burmese King, Mindon Min (r. 1853-1878), sent his ambassador Ashin Nanmadaw Payawun Mingyi on an embassy of good will from his court at Amarapura to the Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, in Calcutta. Sir Arthur Phayre, Commissioner of British Burma, accompanied the mission and acted as interpreter. \r\n\r\nThese three watercolours, which were presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum by the great niece of Sir Arthur Phayre, allow us to witness the pomp with which Burmese ministers travelled through the eyes of a Burmese court artist, who accompanied the mission. \r\n\r\nHere at their first meeting, the ambassador sits with Sir Arthur Phayre and another British envoy on European-style chairs. He is splendidly portrayed in his civil court dress consisting of a <i>wutlon</i> (long gold decorated robe) over a <i>pahsoe</i> (a type of sarong) of acheik luntaya silk together with a <i>bon</i> (high domed hat with applied gilt foil). These robes would have been one of two sets presented  to the minister on his appointment, with a full set of accessories and in accordance with strict sumptuary laws, the other being  <i>amyee-toe myee-shay</i> (military court robe). Phayre and the other British envoy are portrayed in tight trousers and tail coat, in approximation of mid-Victorian court dress.","physicalDescription":"The Burmese envoy, with Sir Arthur Phayre and another British envoy, sitting on European-style chairs. Inscribed with numbers in Burmese script above the heads of the three figures.\r\nThe Burmese official is portrayed with his salwe (gold chain of honour) in court dress consisting of a watlum (long gold decorated robe) over a pah-soe (type of sarong) of acheik-luntaya silk together with a bon (high domed hat with applied gilt foil).\r\n\r\nPhayre and the other envoy are portrayed in approximations of mid Victorian court dress - tight trousers and tail coat.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"opaque watercolour","id":"x35013"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in opaque watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Indian Company Paintings","id":"THES49045"}],"styles":[{"text":"Konbaung Period","id":"x30379"},{"text":"Company","id":"AAT18959"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AF4320"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES403829"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Burma","id":"x30037"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1854","earliest":"1849-01-01","latest":"1858-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gift from Major M. Crawley Boevey","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"29","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unmounted","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"42.15","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unmounted","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"inscribed with numbers in Burmese script above the heads of the three figures.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed:"}],"objectHistory":"The date 1216 B.E. = 1854 A.D.  The paintings IS 179-181 - 1950 evidently illustrated the visit of Mindon's envoy to Calcutta in 1854 and not the mission that went the following year, under Phayre, to the Court of Ava.  (see Hall, D.G.E., \"A history of South-east Asia\", pp. 531-532). J.L.  See also D.G.E. Hall \"Burma\", 1950; reprinted AMS Press, New York, 1974, p. 116","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting; Gouache on paper with gold high lights, visit of the Burmese King Mindon's envoy, Burma, ca.1854","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Archer, Mildred. <u> Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period</u> \r\nVictoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 181 p. ISBN 0944142303"}],"production":"Although the artist of these three paintings (see also Museum nos. IS.180-1950 and IS.181-1950) is unknown, Noel Singer in 2002 states that they are without doubt the work of a Burmese <font -i>panchee-daw</font> (court artist) who was probably taken on the mission to Calcutta in 1854. Mildred Archer in \"Company Paintings\" (see Ref. below) was also of the opinion that they were executed by a Burmese artist. \r\n\r\nPreviously considered illustrations recording Sir Arthur Phayre's mission to Mandalay in 1855. When Mildred Archer had the Burmese inscriptions above the paintings translated by U Tin Pe of the Burmese Embassy in London they were re-attributed to the earlier mission in December 1854 led by the Chief Queen's Ambassador Ashin Nanmadaw Payawun Mingyi from the Court of Mindon to Calcutta.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Burma","id":"x30037"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Chair","id":"AAT37772"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.179-1950"],"accessionNumberNum":"179","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1950,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2001-06-26","availableToBook":true}}