Splendours of Imperial India: British Architecture in the 18th and 19th Century

Author:

Publisher: Prestel Publishing (2004)

Binding: Hardcover, 304 pages

Buy from Amazon

A sumptuously illustrated, very well-researched study of the architectural styles of British India by a very well-respected scholar. The books focus is on Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and the very unique architectural styles that developed in the Presidency capitals, the results of official policy and the vision of select architects.

[From the Description]

An illustrated survey of British colonial architecture that once dominated the landscape of the Indian subcontinent, this book tells a rich and complicated history of imperialism.

One of the most revealing legacies of Britain’s long history in India is the colonial architecture from the two centuries preceding the struggle for independence. Built to house both occupiers and occupied alike, these imposing buildings, including palaces, mansions, clubhouses and government offices, represented a hybrid of Western and Eastern sensibilities as their architects sought to plant the flag of British dominance in a foreign culture.

Colonial Splendour focuses on India’s towns and cities, particularly Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, providing countless illustrations, sketches, and photographs of the many impressive buildings and ruins that dot India’s coastlines, hillsides, and valleys. Andreas Volwahsen’s informative commentaries highlight the considerable achievements of these magnificent structures while offering insight into the stories these buildings tell about their own and India’s history.