The Empress of India Possibly 1908

Geldolph Adriaan Kessler made this photograph of 'The Empress of India’ sometime in the early twentieth century. The ocean liner pictured here was part of a fleet that sailed between Britain and its colonial possessions. Steamships like this one were vital to maintaining the political and economic structures of empire. The ship’s name, ‘Empress of India,’ is itself an explicit reference to the British monarchy’s dominion over the Indian subcontinent. The photograph thus creates meaning through cultural and historical associations. By the time this photo was taken, that empire was facing considerable resistance from anticolonial movements. The ocean liner, a feat of engineering and symbol of global reach, represents the ambition, arrogance, and industrial might of Western imperialism. The image invites us to consider the social conditions that enable the production and consumption of such technologies, as well as the politics of imagery in perpetuating power structures. Analyzing photographs like these involves research into economic history, political science, and postcolonial studies to fully understand their significance.