HAND PAINTED PHOTOGRAPH OF A MAHARAJA

Hand-colouring or hand-painting refers to a meticulous process of applying colour to a monochromatic photograph. This technique allowed the artist to either heighten the realism of the photograph, or its visual appeal. Numerous paints and dyes were carefully selected and mixed to achieve the right balance of colour, and then painstakingly applied on photographs. In the late 19th-to-early 20th centuries, hand coloured photographs were highly sought-after and only the elite could afford them, as it was an expensive and time-consuming process at the time.

20.4 x 16.4 in (51.82 x 41.66 cm)