Suméree temple at Ramnugger (eighteenth century) before 1869

Curator: We are looking at "Sum\u00e9ree temple at Ramnugger (eighteenth century)," a gelatin-silver print from before 1869 by Samuel Bourne. Editor: It’s imposing, isn't it? A steep pyramid form reaching upwards, heavy but also strangely graceful. Curator: Bourne was fascinated with the architectural landscape of India and this work speaks volumes about the context of colonial photography in relation to craft traditions. Albumen prints, especially, were time-consuming, labor-intensive objects. How was Bourne structuring his studio, what materials were available to him... Editor: And what was he hoping to communicate through this lens? I see more than just architectural documentation. Notice how the stark contrast in tones elevates the temple, seemingly isolating it, perhaps mirroring its spiritual importance. Curator: I agree that this aesthetic elevation served the broader aims of orientalism within photography. We have to think about this image being part of an album that would have traveled around to demonstrate the exoticism of other places and peoples back home, so its context of display has to be accounted for. Editor: Absolutely, that's a key point. The composition places it at a distance, literally and figuratively, inviting a gaze rather than genuine interaction. Yet, I can't deny that there is spiritual intention represented, if only from a distance. The spire beckons... Curator: True, though I am keen to examine the role of the local hands that made this photography possible to exist in the first place... I find it valuable to acknowledge the contributions of those who don’t appear within its frame. Editor: A worthwhile point indeed. It enriches the image by filling its absent voices. For me, this is about visual narratives, shaped as much by the gaze behind the camera as by the culture it depicts, capturing fragments of fading worlds in a light both beautiful and, perhaps, a touch melancholy. Curator: Examining Bourne’s choice of materials gives it context—perhaps allowing for that more informed, less romantic engagement you mention. Editor: Well, either way, its blend of the representational and emotional lingers—doesn’t it?