In the photograph, A Mahratta Chief and his Attendants, three people are present. From the photo, it appears that the three people are on top of a balcony. The attendants are barefoot, but the Chief has some type of shoes on his feet. The attendants are dressed in pretty basic, plain clothing and head wear, whereas the chief has a tad bit more style and fashion forward attire on. It seems as if the attendants are watching over the chief, ready to act when necessary. The photo makes me wonder whether or not it was common for someone such as an attendant to not wear shoes, or if it was normal to carry around a huge sword. Questions that come to mind when looking at this photo include why the chief is holding a sword half the size of his body, and why can’t the attendants wear shoes?

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/eaa/id/743/rec/27