COLONIAL VIEWS OF INDIA EXHIBITION MEMBERS' TOUR

Tue 28 Apr 2026, 4.15-5pm           At the Museum

An Exclusive Tour for Members of the Ashmolean

This event takes place in person in Gallery 29, Level 1

In-person tickets are FREE but booking is essential

Tickets coming soon

With Mallica Kumbera Landrus, exhibition curator and Professor and Keeper of Eastern Art, Curator of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art

Join Mallica for an introduction to the Colonial Views of India: Photographs by Eugene Clutterbuck Impey exhibition, which offers a rare glimpse of 19th-century India captured through the lens of British colonial officer Eugene Clutterbuck Impey (1830–1904).

A member of the East India Company, Impey arrived in India in 1851 and took part in military actions during the Indian Uprising of 1857. After the British Crown took control in 1858 following the Uprising, he worked as a political agent until returning to Britain in 1878. 

Seated girl, 1858-1865

Small temple and rope bridge in hilly landscape, 1858-1865

Impey’s photographs reflect British imperial interests, showcasing portraits of colonial officers and Indians, as well as staged scenes of daily life, clothing, religious sites, animals, and landscapes.

These images often reinforced stereotypes with the aim to justify colonial efforts. Photography, which gained popularity after its debut in 1839, was used to highlight cultural differences. From the mid-1800s British officials documented various social groups in India, often categorising people by ethnicity.

This is the first exhibition to focus on photographs and negatives in the Ashmolean, and as such features previously unseen photographs of India by Impey.

This tour will take place in Gallery 29, Level 1

Tickets are free and booking is essential. Book below

Tickets are only available to Members of the Ashmolean

Tickets coming soon

Find out more about Ashmolean Membership: Become a Member