The departure of King Thibaw and Queen Supayalat from Mandalay at the end of the Third Burma War in 1885.

ca. 1885

Shows the departure of King Thibaw (r. 1878-1885) and Queen Supayalat from Mandalay at the end of the third Burmese war in 1885. They stand in the centre of the picture under umbrellas, with two children in front and courtiers to their right. In the background is the palace, and on each side its walls. The road is lined with British troops, with a British officer mounted on a horse on each side. Two bullock-drawn carriages are on the left, and in front of the royal party (in the foreground) stand British and Sikh officers, and two Burmese officials wearing short black jackets and pahsoes of luntaya-acheik patterned silk. It is likely that this picture is intended to represent the moment when the King and Queen had been brought from the palace and, having got out of their carriage, were about to embark on the river-steamer to begin the first stage of their journey into exile in India