A RARE COLOURED COPY of Eden's important work. The Hon. Emily Eden, the seventh daughter of William Eden, first baron Auckland, accompanied her brother, George, Lord Auckland (1784-1849) to India where he served as Governor-General from 1835-1842. A highly gifted amateur artist and writer, Eden recorded her observations of life in India during this period in the form of letters and an extensive collection of sketches. On her return to England in 1842, Eden arranged to have her images printed privately as a portfolio of 24 lithographs and the Portraits was published in 1844, issued in wrappers in four parts. Most copies were issued uncoloured, except for a few beautifully hand-coloured copies, of which the present work is one. In addition to the Portraits, Eden's descriptions and recollections of her life in India were published in Up the Country. Letters written to her Sister from the Upper Provinces of India by the Hon. Emily Eden, 1866.

Eden's fine portraits and textual descriptions in the Portraits record amongst others, the Indian rulers, and often their families, with whom Lord Auckland met during his term of office as Governor-General. The first period of their stay in India was spent in Calcutta and from October 1837 to February 1840 Lord Auckland and his entourage toured through the Upper Provinces, meeting with Indian princely subjects. Amongst those encountered and portrayed by Eden during these tours were the Maharaja Sher-Singh, King of the Punjab, the Maharaja Ranjit Singh, The Raja of Nahun, the Raja of Patiala, and the Raja Hira Singh, son of the Prime Minister of the Punjab. Not in Abbey.