Artwork Page for India. Calcutta. Harrison Road I with Group of Jogees, after photo by Dr. Kurt Boeck

Details / Information for India. Calcutta. Harrison Road I with Group of Jogees, after photo by Dr. Kurt Boeck

India. Calcutta. Harrison Road I with Group of Jogees, after photo by Dr. Kurt Boeck

c. 1890–1910

Photoglob Co.

(Zurich, active c. 1890–1910)
Culture
India, 19th century
Medium
Photochrom
Measurements
Image: 20.6 x 26.4 cm (8 1/8 x 10 3/8 in.); Paper: 20.6 x 26.4 cm (8 1/8 x 10 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Barbara Timmer 2019.186
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

In 1899, Harrison Road (now Mahatma Gandhi Road) became the first road to be lit by electricity in Kolkatta (formerly Calcutta).

Description

The light poles in the image suggest the photo was taken after that event. The Jogees or Jogis are a rapidly shrinking caste that began as a community of people who practiced yoga and worshipped the Hindu god Shiva. Many earn their living as religious beggars. They traditionally wear saffron-colored clothing, but the printers in Switzerland who added the color to this image did not know that.
A horizontally oriented photochrom with muted tones depicts a bustling street scene. In the foreground, a gray water buffalo stands near people with medium and dark skin tones seated among market goods. To our left, a man in a red shawl walks toward us past a leafy tree. Weathered buildings with laundry line the right. In the distance, a tall smokestack emits smoke into a hazy sky, completing a detailed, atmospheric composition.

India. Calcutta. Harrison Road I with Group of Jogees, after photo by Dr. Kurt Boeck

c. 1890–1910

Photoglob Co.

(Zurich, active c. 1890–1910)
India, 19th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork