A Splendid Land: Paintings From Royal Udaipur

We were proud to support a groundbreaking international exhibition where paintings and photographs from Udaipur were featured outside of India for the very first time.

The exhibition was held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. from November 19th, 2022 to May 14th, 2023, organized in collaboration with The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, India, administered by The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, with support from Friends of Mewar. Following these dates, the exhibition traveled to The Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio, where it was on view from June 10th, 2023 to September 10th, 2023.

Showcasing dazzling paintings on paper and cloth dating back to the 18th century, the exhibition revealed how artists in Udaipur conveyed emotions, depicted places, celebrated water resources, and fostered personal bonds within the rapidly changing political and cultural landscapes of early modern South Asia. Organized as a journey, the exhibition began at Udaipur’s center and continued outward: first to the city, then to the countryside, and finally to the cosmos. Together, these works highlighted a unique aspect of the living cultural heritage of Mewar.

The exhibition was co-curated by Dr. Debra Diamond (Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art) and Dr. Dipti Khera (Assistant Professor of South Asian Art at New York University), with support from The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, on behalf of The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation.

Our goal remains to ensure these incredible works are conserved and continue to inspire admirers for generations to come, telling timeless stories about the history, culture, people, art, and architecture of Mewar. With your continued support, we can sustain this cultural heritage and carry forward the traditions of Mewar for many years ahead.