As the Maharaja of Jaipur, Ram Singh II was famous for many things. It was during his reign that slavery, infanticide and other cruel customs were abolished. He was also known for being a rather avid photographer who captured the costumes and culture of his kingdom.
The pictures were taken between 1857 and 1865, and the collection of glass negatives were to remain untouched for more than a century. Under the watchful eye of British photographer T. Murray, the Maharaja - who became known as the country's first Photographer Prince and who often used his four wives as subjects - developed his interest in the emerging art, and took intimate shots of the ornately-dressed people who surrounded him each day.
According to accounts of his life, he spent hours in his laboratory developing photographs and recording images which proved a treasure trove for historians. These images give a rare insight into the life of a 19th Century Indian Maharajah.
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| Portrait of a woman in the harem of the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Full portrait of a woman in the harem in the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Portrait of a woman in the harem of the royal palace of Jaipur, India, circa 1857. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari Archives, Florence/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Double portrait of a woman in the harem of the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Double portrait of a woman in the harem of the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Double portrait of a woman in the harem of the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Portrait of a female supervisor of the harem in the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Self-portrait of the Maharajah Ram Singh III, in the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Portrait of a fakir, in the Royal Palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Portrait of the minister of the Maharajah, in the royal palace of Jaipur, India, circa 1857. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari Archives, Florence/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Portrait of a prince in the royal court of the palace of Jaipur, India, circa 1857. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari Archives, Florence/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Full portrait of a noteworthy man in the royal palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865 (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Group portrait of noteworthy men and visitors, in the Royal Palace of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| The horse of Maharajah Ram Singh III, sovereign of Jaipur, India, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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| Military troops in the service of Maharajah Ram Singh III, sovereign of Jaipur, India. The soldiers are wearing Scottish uniforms, 1857–1865. (Photo by Maharaja Ram Singh III/Alinari via Getty Images) |
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