Prinsep's Ghat, Calcutta 1850s

Captain R. B. Hill captured Prinsep's Ghat in Calcutta using photography, a medium still relatively new at the time. This image invites us to consider the intertwined histories of colonialism and representation. The ghat, a monumental pavilion with classical columns, was erected by the British in memory of James Prinsep, a colonial administrator. Hill’s photograph, with its careful composition and stark lighting, reinforces the visual vocabulary of imperial power. The photograph romanticizes colonial presence. At the same time, there’s a quiet tension in the frame. The ghat stands as a symbol of British authority, yet the local landscape persists around it. The human figures at the forefront appear diminutive, which raises questions about visibility, power, and the complex, often fraught relationship between colonizer and colonized. Ultimately, this photograph serves as a reminder of how identity and history are visually constructed and negotiated through the lens of empire.