Cathedral, Calcutta c. 1867

Editor: Here we have Samuel Bourne's photograph, "Cathedral, Calcutta." It's this dreamy sepia tone and incredibly detailed. What strikes me is the way the light catches the cathedral, making it feel almost like a mirage. How do you read this image? Curator: It whispers of empire, doesn't it? Bourne, a British photographer, capturing this imposing Gothic structure transplanted onto the Indian landscape. It’s a statement, a visual declaration of power, wouldn’t you say? But also, look at the human figures, almost dwarfed by the scale. What do they suggest to you? Editor: Maybe a sense of the individual against this massive colonial presence? Or just... everyday life continuing alongside it? It's funny how a single image can hold so many stories. Curator: Precisely! It is about finding those questions, those different realities.