Hazrat Shah Neymatullah-moskee, Bangladesh 1875 - 1900

This sepia-toned photograph of the Hazrat Shah Neymatullah Mosque in Bangladesh was created by Johnston and Hoffmann in the late 19th or early 20th century. The image offers us insight into the colonial gaze and the institutional practices of documentation. Photography during this period was often employed as a tool of colonial administration, surveying landscapes and monuments to assert control and knowledge over the territory. The very act of photographing the mosque positions it as an object of study. Consider, also, the role of the photographer as a mediator between cultures. By examining archival materials such as travelogues, official reports, and ethnographic studies, we can better understand the historical context in which this photograph was produced. Through such research, we recognize that the meaning of this artwork is deeply contingent on its social and institutional context.