The Ganges at Derali; Buspa Valley, Gangootri c. 1867

Curator: This is Samuel Bourne’s photograph, "The Ganges at Derali; Buspa Valley, Gangootri." Editor: It feels immense, but also still somehow. The tones are so muted, yet the scale of the mountains surrounding the river is impressive. Curator: Bourne made a career of photographing the Himalayas, and this image typifies his project of visually mapping colonial India. Editor: I think it's crucial to also consider how Bourne's work, like much colonial-era photography, participated in the objectification and appropriation of landscapes and cultures. Curator: Indeed, the sublime landscape becomes a resource, a subject for the colonial gaze. The act of photographing itself has social consequences. Editor: Right, seeing this image today, we must ask how it both reflects and reinforces power dynamics. How does it shape perceptions of India? Curator: Understanding this shifts our viewing, allowing us to consider the complex narratives embedded within this seemingly serene image. Editor: Exactly. It is beautiful, but beauty can obscure histories, and the camera, after all, is never neutral.