Sutlej; the Jaree Pass, 15,282' c. 1867

Editor: This is Samuel Bourne's photograph, "Sutlej; the Jaree Pass, 15,282'". The sepia tones give it a timeless feel, and I’m struck by how the vast landscape is rendered through photographic chemistry. What aspects of its creation or social context do you find most compelling? Curator: Consider the albumen print process. This was a commercial enterprise. Bourne wasn't just creating art; he was mass-producing images for a market hungry for the exotic. How does that change our perception of the sublime mountain scene? Editor: So, the act of capturing this remote landscape was tied to industry and distribution? Curator: Precisely. The photograph itself becomes a commodity, linked to the economics of exploration and the Victorian appetite for visual consumption. It changes everything. Editor: I hadn't considered how the materiality of the print itself connected to larger systems of commerce and access.