“Maharaja” at the V&A

This afternoon we saw “Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts” in what feels like a long-distance marathon viewing Indian art. The art season is in full swing; the Frieze Art Fair concluded today, and many shows in the most well-respected museums and galleries in central London featured art from the subcontinent. At “Maharaja” I was reminded that I prefer contemporary, Modernist art versus historical art; if it was my choice, I’d rather look at art about ideas and concepts versus art meant to tell history. That said, I found an engaging conceptual weave in the exhibit by focusing on the way love was depicted and evolved over 200+ years in royal paintings and photography.