Groepsportret van vier onbekende polospelers met een hond 1878 - 1900

John Burke, around the late 19th century, captured this photographic portrait of four polo players with their dog. Burke was known for his documentation of British military activities and life in India, and this image subtly resonates with those colonial ties. The players, donned in striped shirts and breeches, exude a casual confidence, while their mallets rest on an ornate rug, with a dog nestled in between. Polo, often dubbed the "sport of kings," was heavily associated with the British aristocracy and military. The cultural context of the British Raj in India adds layers of meaning here. The image showcases a sport adopted and popularized by the British elite as a means to assert their dominance and cultural identity abroad. Consider the untold stories of the local populations and laborers whose lands and labor facilitated such leisurely pursuits. How does this image make you feel? Is it one of admiration, or something more complicated?