Forest trail towards Tukvar, Darleeling, West Bengal, India 1868 - 1869

Samuel Bourne captured this photograph of a "Forest Trail towards Tukvar, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India" in the 19th century when the British Empire had colonized India. Bourne, who was British, extensively photographed the Indian landscape and its people. This photograph presents a seemingly benign scene, but it is charged with the power dynamics of colonialism. The two figures on the trail, likely local inhabitants, are dwarfed by the dense forest, framing them as part of the exotic landscape rather than individual subjects. The very act of photographing and documenting this space served as a way for the British to claim ownership and control over it. Bourne's images contributed to a romanticized view of India that served the interests of the colonizers, obscuring the harsh realities of colonial rule for many. The photograph invites us to consider whose perspectives are valued and whose are marginalized in the visual representation of this shared history.