View from the Neela Pass c. 1867

Curator: Samuel Bourne's photograph, "View from the Neela Pass," presents a sweeping vista of the Himalayas. The tones are quite muted. Editor: It feels like a stark, imposing landscape, incredibly vast yet strangely still. You can almost feel the thin, cold air. Curator: Bourne, working in the latter half of the 19th century, often documented the colonial presence in India, and landscapes like this served both scientific and imperial interests. Editor: Exactly. This isn't just a pretty picture of mountains; it's a record of exploration and control. The sublime, yes, but the sublime viewed through a very specific lens of power and access. Curator: The detail is remarkable. He captured the textures of the rocks, the snow, even the distant peaks with such clarity using the wet collodion process. Editor: I wonder about the impact of these images on perceptions of the region back home. How did they shape ideas about the people, the resources, the possibilities? Curator: It’s a great question. Considering the role of photography in shaping colonial narratives is crucial. Editor: Absolutely. It makes you think about whose stories are told and how.