Temple at Naveshera, Kashmir, India

1864

Samuel Bourne

(British, 1834–1912)

Culture

England, 19th century

Medium

albumen print from wet collodion negative

Measurements

Image: 24 x 28.7 cm (9 7/16 x 11 5/16 in.); Matted: 40.6 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.)

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund 1994.186

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Location

Not on view

Description

One of the most important British expeditionary photographers, Samuel Bourne was propelled by his great desire to travel to lovely, remote locations and to record images of what he considered picturesque. From 1863 to 1869, he worked widely in India, making three major expeditions to the Himalayas. This exquisite photograph of the decaying Temple of Naveshera was taken on his nine-month, second journey to this stunning, mountainous terrain. He balanced the ordered, constructed architectural forms with glimpses of the majestic natural landscape. Bourne included a few people in the scene to add a sense of scale, but they are incidental to the subject matter and symbolism of the photograph, which stresses the dominance of natural forces.