Entrance to Botanical Gardens, Calcutta 1850s

Editor: This is a photograph titled "Entrance to Botanical Gardens, Calcutta," taken in the 1850s by Captain R. B. Hill. It feels incredibly staged, almost artificial. What stands out to you? Curator: I'm interested in the materiality of this print. Think about the specific chemical processes, the paper itself, the way light interacts with the emulsion. These elements are not neutral. Hill's choice of photographic process, likely a wet collodion print, speaks to the technological advancements and the social conditions driving photography’s spread during that period. Editor: How so? Curator: The wet collodion process required on-site preparation, suggesting a level of investment in colonial documentation. Also, consider the social context of a British officer producing this image in Calcutta. This isn't a neutral depiction of nature; it's a statement of colonial presence, transforming the landscape into a controlled space through the very act of photographing it. Editor: That's fascinating. The stark geometry of the building also now seems very deliberate. It's such a contrast to the natural forms surrounding it. Curator: Precisely! Look at how the classical architectural form—imposed onto this landscape—highlights the colonial power dynamic through the assertion of European aesthetic and architectural values. Can you imagine the labor needed both to construct that folly and to produce this very photograph, connecting processes of material transformation and social power? Editor: It gives me a lot to think about regarding the relationship between technology, labor, and the construction of cultural narratives. Thank you for illuminating the image through a Materialist lens. Curator: Absolutely. By interrogating the materials and production, we move beyond just what is depicted, and examine *how* and *why* it was created. It deepens our understanding considerably.