Bharatpur, Banian Tree in the Park 1867

Editor: Here we have Samuel Bourne's photograph, "Bharatpur, Banian Tree in the Park." The Banyan tree is majestic but the woman looks out of place. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Look at the albumen print process itself. Bourne, a British photographer, journeyed to India, using local labor to develop these images. The photograph becomes a document of colonial enterprise, capturing and consuming the landscape and its people. Editor: So the very act of making the photograph is part of the story? Curator: Precisely. The labor, the resources, the transport—all contribute to a narrative far beyond a simple depiction of a tree. Editor: That gives me a whole new perspective. Thanks!