Vier mensen die vogels of hazen proberen te vangen met een net in Delhi before 1869

Shepherd & Robertson made this photograph in Delhi, sometime in the late 19th century. It depicts four people, identified as members of the Baorie caste, attempting to catch birds or hares with a net. The image offers a glimpse into the social hierarchy of British India. Photography in this period was often employed as a tool of colonial documentation, used to categorize and define the diverse populations under British rule. This image is no exception. Notice how the figures are presented in a staged manner, almost as specimens for study. The label included with the image, "Low Caste Hindoos," reinforces this sense of social distance and the power dynamics inherent in colonial representation. To fully understand such an image, we can turn to sources like colonial archives, ethnographic studies, and postcolonial critiques. In doing so, we can consider the politics of visual representation and the role of photography in shaping perceptions of identity and difference.