VON REISBERG SERIES | BY POPULAR DEMAND | QUEEN VICTORIA'S MAHARAJAH: Indian Presence at Queen Victoria's Court with Eugene Barilo von Reisberg

Fascinated by one of Franz Xaver Winterhalter’s most exotic paintings, Portrait of Maharajah Duleep Singh, Barilo von Reisberg delves into the sitter’s biography and uncoveres a fascinating tale of an Indian child prince; the legend of the fabled Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the most important jewels in the British Royal Collection; and the Indian presence at the court of Queen Victoria, the first British monarch to be formally styled the Empress of India.

Whatever you do, you must not look at Her Majesty

To coincide with the launch of the forthcoming film Victoria & Abdul starring Dame Judy Dench, slated for release in Australia on 22 September 2017, join Eugene Barilo von Reisberg as he introduces you to of some of the most famous 19th century portraits that look at Queen Victoria.

Discover how the portraits of Queen Victoria reflect the social changes of this fast-paced epoch, and how the artists of the era adapted the genre of portraiture to changing demands and divergent artists and royal demand.

Drawn from public museums, royal palaces, and private collections from around the world you will discover prominent portrait painters who captured Queen Victoria in her copious royal commissions.

Gain glimpses into the fascinating lives of the gifted artists and the colourful personality of Her Majesty; learn the secret language of portraiture; and uncover the covert messages shared between the portraits and the viewers.

DR EUGENE BARILO VON REISBERG is a Melbourne-based lecturer, researcher, and art consultant.  He has completed a doctoral dissertation on Franz Xaver Winterhalter, the 19th century elite portrait specialist, at the University of Melbourne, and lectures and publishes widely on 19th century art, history, and culture. He has presented lectures at The Johnston Collection since 2011.

image: Portrait of Duleep Singh, Maharajah of Lahore (1837-93), by Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-73), 1854, oil on canvas, Collection of HM Queen Elizabeth II (RCIN 403843)