One of three drawings recording the mission of friendship led by Sir Arthur Phayre and his meeting with the envoy of King Mindon of Burma in Calcutta, 1854.

ca.1854

The Burmese envoy, with Sir Arthur Phayre and another British envoy, sitting on European-style chairs. Inscribed with numbers in Burmese script above the heads of the three figures. The Burmese official is portrayed with his salwe (gold chain of honour) in court dress consisting of a watlum (long gold decorated robe) over a pah-soe (type of sarong) of acheik-luntaya silk together with a bon (high domed hat with applied gilt foil). Phayre and the other envoy are portrayed in approximations of mid Victorian court dress - tight trousers and tail coat.