Lala Deen DayalIndian, 1844–1905Fancy Group, Indore I
May one see it?
Not receiving at present
Cleveland, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Entertainments at “fancy dress” or costume parties often included amateur theatricals or tableaux vivants—static scenes drawn from literature, history, or artworks. Here, Deen Dayal captured three moments distilled from a popular novel or play. The guests—all middle or upper class—perform as characters ranging from the working class to ladies and gentlemen. The woman holding a bucket labeled “Emma Brown of Margate” was likely playing a fishwife selling her husband’s catch. Because the photographic technology of the time required strong daylight, the photographs would have been made on a separate occasion, not at the party.
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Particulars
- Accession number
- 2016.266.34
In the catalog
Sources
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image: The Cleveland Museum of Art — Museum open access
