In the South of the Deccan, 1863 – Durbar of an Indigenous Prince, India

This antique woodcut print titled "In the South of the Deccan, 1863 – Durbar of an Indigenous Prince, India" originates from a mid to late 19th-century European publication documenting princely courts and ceremonial life in colonial India. The scene depicts a formal durbar in the Deccan region, offering a detailed visual record of courtly hierarchy, attire, and architectural setting during the mid-19th century.

The composition is based on a drawing by Émile Bayard, executed after a photograph from the album of Mr. Grandidier, and reflects the period’s practice of translating early photography into printed imagery for wider circulation. Bayard’s interpretation preserves both narrative clarity and ethnographic detail, making the image valuable as a historical and cultural document.

The wood engraving is credited to Henri Théophile Hildibrand, whose name appears at the lower right of the print. Hildibrand was a respected 19th-century French wood engraver, active at a time when illustrated journals, travel accounts, and colonial publications depended on master engravers to reproduce photographs and drawings. His work is distinguished by precise line engraving, tonal depth, and compositional balance — qualities that are clearly visible in this print. Through engravers like Hildibrand, photographic images were transformed into enduring visual records well before modern printing technologies emerged.

The print is presented in a black frame, lending it a clean, archival presence while allowing the intricacy of the engraving to remain the focal point. Collectively, this piece represents both a historical view of princely India and an important example of 19th-century European wood engraving, making it well-suited for collectors of antique prints, colonial-era imagery, and Indian historical art.