India 1926-27 (Alwar No. 1) 1926 - 1927

Curator: Here we have Leslie Hamilton Wilson's "India 1926-27 (Alwar No. 1)," a small book from the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The texture of the cover grabs me. It almost looks like reptile skin, dyed a rich, vibrant red. Curator: Indeed, the book's materiality speaks to luxury and craftsmanship. The gold lettering and border add to the formal elegance. Note the initials, perhaps the owner's? Editor: Perhaps, but also consider the colonial context. What sort of labor went into producing such a lavish object during the Raj? Who crafted this beautiful book? Curator: It presents a fascinating dichotomy: a Western artist documenting India, bound in a style reflecting both opulence and perhaps, control. Editor: A complex interplay of cultural exchange and material exploitation, certainly a point to ponder. Curator: It invites us to look deeper into the story behind the object itself.