Decoraties op een basement van een minaret van de Shapoor-moskee in Ahmedabad before 1866

This photograph by Thomas Biggs captures the minaret of the Shapoor Mosque in Ahmedabad, freezing a moment of time, a monument of a rich cultural past. The monument is made of sandstone, a material celebrated for its workability, quarried from the earth and then carved by hand. The minaret presents a symphony of intricate designs, each one telling a silent story of tradition. The lattice work screens, a prominent feature, filter light and air, but also speak of geometric precision. The way this structure was crafted is an ode to human skills and labor, passed down through generations. The patterns and motifs echo across the stone canvas, each groove etched with a purpose, giving a visual record of the social narratives. In contemplating Biggs' photograph, we are reminded that the value of art lies not only in its aesthetic appeal, but in the dialogue it initiates about history, labor, and cultural exchange.