Untitled (Nautch dancer?) c. 1860 - 1880

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Willoughby Wallace Hooper, likely from the late 19th century. The subject is believed to be a Nautch dancer. Editor: The pose is so formal, almost staged, yet the woman's gaze has a compelling directness. Curator: Hooper was an officer in the British army, and his photographs often documented colonial life in India. This image, typical of ethnographic photography, presents the dancer as a type. Editor: The tones— sepia and soft — contribute to a sense of distance. The light catches the jewelry, drawing the eye. But the subject seems a bit objectified. Curator: Precisely. The photograph serves as a record, but also, arguably, perpetuates colonial power dynamics through its visual representation. Editor: I see how her expression hints at resilience despite that. I guess the gaze feels quite self-aware. Curator: Indeed, it's a complex intersection of documentation, cultural representation, and perhaps, a quiet resistance. Editor: It's a powerful image that invites questions about the photographer's intent and the subject's agency.