Rare Photos from British Raj Era Show a Wealthy India [PHOTOS]

Photos: Rare Photos from British Raj Era Show a Wealthy India [PHOTOS]

By Sanskrity Sinha | Oct 06, 2012 06:54 PM EDT

An exhibition at Scotland's National Portrait Gallery, featuring a rare collection of photographs by Scottish photographer Fred Bremner, explores life in India during the British Raj.

The exhibition, called Lucknow to Lahore: Fred Bremner’s Vision of India, runs until 7 April 2013, and showcases photographs taken in what was then called the Indian subcontinent, between 1882 and 1922. Bremner's collection features photographs of artisans at work, India's everyday life and local culture; the photos clearly depict India as a wealthy country.

"Bremner produced several photographs of Indian artisans at work which hint at the abundance of material wealth that placed India at the heart of Britain’s colonial economy," said the exhibition's curators. "Such images satisfied the huge interest in the subcontinent that had been fuelled by the International Exhibitions of London (1886) and Glasgow (1888). Displaying a rich selection of art wares, fabrics, carpeting, carved furniture and curiosities, these major events catered to the European consumer’s conception of India."

Meanwhile, some of the photographs feature pictureseque locations in India, particularly the state of Kashmir. According to curators, Bremner compared the scenic beauty of Kashmir to that of Switzerland.

"Switzerland is without the charm of oriental life, the quaint manners and customs of the people...which all add to the attractions of a trip to the Valley of Kashmir," Bremner wrote of his photographs of Kashmir in 1896.

Bremner also took photographs of infrastructure development, recording the changing landscape of India. The other photographs on display include portraits of colonial officers and some members of the native royal families.

"Through Bremner’s eyes we invite the visitor to get a sense of the people and places of Imperial India. Using his words, the exhibition brings to life individual experiences and opinions about that far-off land known as the Indian Empire," the curators added.

Here is a selection of the photographs displayed at the exhibition.