Temple, Chitradurga, India 1857

This albumen print of the Temple in Chitradurga, India was created by Dr. William Henry Pigou, an English surgeon and amateur photographer in the mid-19th century. As part of the British presence in India, Pigou's photographs offer a glimpse into how the colonial gaze captured and interpreted the Indian landscape and its cultural monuments. The temple, nestled amidst rugged terrain, becomes a subject of documentation, framed through the lens of colonial interests and scientific exploration. The image prompts us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in the act of photography during this era. How do photographs taken by colonizers affect our understanding of Indian history and identity? Does the photograph maintain traditional representations, or does it develop alternative narratives? Pigou's photograph invites us to contemplate the complex interplay between observer and observed, and between cultural preservation and colonial appropriation.