
11/08/2025
Hyphen is delighted to announce the forthcoming release of Imperial Persona, presented by the Bhawanipur Education Society College. Originating as a series of lectures by Prof. Prasanta Ray under the joint initiative of the Departments of Sociology and Bengali in June 2025, this work has evolved into a remarkable text that stands at the confluence of history, sociology, art history, and, above all, literary imagination.
In essence, Imperial Persona is an extraordinary monograph by Professor Ray—rooted in history, yet elevated by the grace of literature. It journeys across the painted faces of emperors and the unpainted griefs of their subjects. At its heart lies the concept of the imperial face: not merely a biological visage, but a carefully curated surface—an iconographic project that embodies power, memory, and myth.