Indian Round Table Conference

Emery Kelen, Indian Round Table Conference, London: Emery Kelen, 1930

Unpaginated; publisher's grey art-cloth portfolio in a slipcase
16.2 x 12 x 0.6 in (40.5 x 30 x 1.5 cm)

The album was printed and hand-colored in a limited edition of 200 copies. 50 copies of this edition were on hand-made paper and contained in a leather portfolio and numbered 1 to 50. 150 copies were on high-class paper contained in an Art-cloth portfolio and numbered 51 to 200.

This is copy no.165 of 200 copies and signed by the artist along with inscription in pencil addressed to Mr. Richard.

The portfolio has a group of 37 caricatures measuring 15 x 11 inches from the first Indian Round Table Conferences on 1930. The second and third conference occurred on 1931 and 1932 which was organized by the British Government to discuss constitutional reforms in India. In all three Indian Round Table Conferences occurred between 1930 and 1932.

Emery Kelen was born in Gyor, Hungary in 1896. During the 1920s and 1930s, Kelen worked in Europe illustrating inter-war Europe with his cartoons collaborating with fellow Hungarian, Alois Derso. As witnesses to this history, he drew caricatures of famous diplomats and statesmen of the day and satirical cartoons of their activities. He was also the dedicated pictorial reporter of the meetings and delegates of the League of Nations. As active members of the international press corps, his work was eagerly sought after providing a humorous daily record of events at a time when cameras were not allowed in the conference rooms. His work was published widely in the European press. He departed Europe on 13 December 1938 aided by friends who recognized the impending dangers facing him due to being Jewish and past public criticism of Hitler's rise to power. Kelen reported on and caricatured diplomats and politicians from The Indian Round Table Conferences organized by the British Government to discuss constitutional reforms in India.