Sultan Mahamed Shah’s Tomb, Bejapore, India 

Sultan Mahomed Shah’s Tomb, Bejapore, India is a watercolor made by John Sell Cotman. Cotman was working during a time when the British Empire was expanding its reach in India. This artwork captures a moment in the complex relationship between Britain and India. On the one hand, it reflects the Orientalist fascination with the architecture and landscapes of the East. Yet on the other hand, we see the artist engaging with a culture that was becoming increasingly subject to British colonial rule. Cotman seems to maintain traditional representations of the East as exotic and picturesque. Notice the way the tomb is positioned within the landscape, and how the figures in the foreground add a sense of scale and human presence. This artwork is not just a depiction of a building, but an entry point into considering the broader historical and cultural dynamics that shaped the world we live in today.