Crematie in Bombay 1903

"Crematie in Bombay" is a 1903 photograph by Richard Sochor, depicting a funeral pyre in Bombay, India. The photograph, taken with a stereoscopic camera, shows two nearly identical views of the scene, showcasing the details of the cremation process. The stark black and white composition and the somber subject matter evoke a sense of solemnity and respect for the rituals of death in a foreign culture. Sochor, a renowned photographer, captured the everyday life of India through his lens, offering a glimpse into a world that was both familiar and exotic to his Western audience. The photograph's small dimensions (88 mm x 179 mm) and its early 20th-century origins are suggestive of a travelogue or a snapshot of a unique cultural practice.