The Ouvah Country, Ceylon; Mountain View which Divides Wet from Dry Side of Ceylon (View near Wilson's Bungalow) c. 1867

Curator: Look at this fascinating landscape captured by Samuel Bourne, titled "The Ouvah Country, Ceylon; Mountain View which Divides Wet from Dry Side of Ceylon." It's a historical photograph held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, my. It's brooding, isn’t it? That muted palette… a study in greys that suggests something elemental, like the earth holding its breath. Curator: Exactly! The tonal range achieved through the collodion process is incredible. The way he renders the texture of the land invites us to reflect on the labor and extraction from this landscape. Editor: Yes, the labor! Bourne wasn't just capturing scenery; he was documenting a colonial enterprise, complete with tea plantations reshaping the very face of Ceylon. Curator: A charged space, definitely, and seeing this photograph in our present invites contemplation on how we see and frame our own relationship to landscape and legacy. Editor: It's more than just a pretty view; it's a silent witness to a complicated history.