Wanga Valley c. 1867

Curator: Samuel Bourne, a British photographer active in India, captured this landscape, titled "Wanga Valley." Editor: It feels immense, doesn’t it? Almost overwhelming. The scale is so impressive, that sharp contrast between the dark trees and the bright snow. Curator: Bourne’s photographs often depicted colonial India, and it’s important to consider how these landscapes may have reinforced or challenged notions of British power and control. Editor: Right, there’s a certain… distance here. The sublime grandeur is almost a statement, but the artist’s eye seems reverent, like a humble bow. Curator: Indeed. The composition, especially with the framing of trees, encourages a reading of nature as both sublime and something to be conquered. What does it reveal about 19th century British attitudes? Editor: I love how the light catches the peaks. I almost feel the cold. It makes me want to grab a sketchbook and disappear up there. Curator: Bourne's work provides us a vital lens through which to interrogate British imperial vision and its ecological impact. Editor: Thinking about it now, I see the valley in a different light, the quiet majesty of the scene also speaks of resilience.