Kandian Chief and Family

This noble in the center of this photograph— from Kandy (a kingdom in Sri Lanka)—is dressed in a traditional white court gown and wears an impressive crown. The women flanking him are presumably members of his family.
Colonial rule in Sri Lanka started with the Portuguese, who arrived on the island in 1505. The Kingdom of Kandy, located in the central hills of Sri Lanka, only capitulated to British rule in 1815. Kandy was one of the most resistant to foreign rule, and among the most effective in asserting its cultural and political autonomy. The impassive and regal posture of the Kandian chief in this photograph echoes this impression of self-assurance.