Portret van een onbekende Kurukh vrouw uit Chota Nagpur before 1868

This is a photographic portrait of an unknown Kurukh woman from Chota Nagpur, made by Benjamin Simpson. The albumen print is a chemical process that makes the surface of the photo reflective. The choice of this process matters. Photography in this period was less about individual expression and more about scientific documentation. The smooth surface and tonal range give the woman’s skin a delicate quality, and the jewelry stands out. But the framing is ethnographic in nature. The photograph gives us access to the artistry of the subject. Her ornamentation becomes the central focus, suggesting a rich cultural heritage. This challenges the notion of photography as a purely objective medium. Instead, it highlights the collaboration between photographer and subject. The woman's self-presentation transforms the photographic process into a shared cultural exchange. It asks us to consider the power dynamics inherent in image-making, and opens up new ways of appreciating the visual legacy of craft.