‘Loot’ weaves an epic tale of imperialism, plunder, and autonomy
by Heller McAlpin
Jun 13, 2023
3 minutes
In late 18th-century India, a large automaton depicting a near life-size wooden tiger mauling an Englishman was created for Tipu Sultan, the Muslim ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Internal mechanisms and a pipe organ stowed within the two figures’ cavities caused the tiger to emit grunts, the man to wail, and various parts of the structure to move. Since 1880, the curiosity has been a popular attraction in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, among other spoils of war seized
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