Kulu, Spiti; The Hamta Pass, Between Kulu and Spiti, 14,800' c. 1867

Curator: What a stark, almost lunar landscape. It feels so remote, somehow untouched. Editor: This is Samuel Bourne’s photograph "Kulu, Spiti; The Hamta Pass, Between Kulu and Spiti, 14,800'." Bourne, who lived from 1834 to 1912, was known for lugging his bulky equipment across the Himalayas. It is currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Curator: Imagine hauling all that gear! The dedication is palpable. But beyond that, I see a study in contrasts—light and shadow, the jagged peaks versus the smooth, sloping snow. Editor: Indeed. These photographs were instrumental in shaping imperial narratives of the region. Bourne visually asserted British dominance over these spaces. Curator: Oh, absolutely. There's a certain romanticism, but also a sense of conquest, isn't there? Editor: Precisely. The sublime, aestheticized, but also claimed, possessed through the very act of documentation. Curator: Well, it is still a magnificent view, even if tinged with a bit of the colonial. Editor: Yes, it is a potent reminder of how landscapes become entangled with power.