Question

In what way did the British history paintings in India reflect the attitudes of imperial conquerors?

Answer 1

The British history paintings sought to dramatise and recreate various episodes of British imperial history. These paintings celebrated the British: their power, their victories and their supremacy. The imperial history paintings attempted to create a public memory of imperial triumphs. Victories had to be remembered, implanted in the memory of people, both in India and Britain. Only then could the British appear invincible and all-powerful.