Babu Holding a Hookah

The babu, or Indian bureaucrat, was a much parodied figure in the arts. His mannerisms and appearance reflected his engagement with the British world of fashion and etiquette as he climbed the social ladder away from the Indian middle class. Here, he is depicted as a dapper dandy smoking a hookah. He is draped in a chic waistcloth, shawl, sports heeled shoes, and a Prince Albert hairstyle.