Untitled (a Nawab?) c. 1860 - 1880

Editor: This is an untitled photograph, likely from the late 19th century, by Willoughby Wallace Hooper, depicting a large group of men. It's fascinating to see the clothing and weaponry. What can we discern about its production and context? Curator: Consider the albumen print process itself. The egg whites used to bind the image, the silver salts reacting to light... Each element tells a story of labor, of trade routes extending across continents. How does this materiality inform our understanding of British colonial India? Editor: It highlights the complex layering of resources and power. Thank you. Curator: Indeed, from production to subject, it speaks to the social structures of its time.