Artwork Page for Agra. The Taj, the Central of Principal City

Details / Information for Agra. The Taj, the Central of Principal City

Series Title: Photographs of Northern India

Agra. The Taj, the Central of Principal City

1863–70

Samuel Bourne

(British, 1834–1912)
View all records in artwork set
Culture
England
Medium
albumen print
Credit Line
Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2024.5.38
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?

Samuel Bourne, the author of most the images in this album, was a banker in England before he moved to India to become a professional photographer.

Description

The 50 images in this album, all taken in the 1860s, move from the hill towns of the Himalayas down to cities including Lahore (now in Pakistan), Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Benares (now Varansi), and Calcutta (now Kolkata). Architectural studies of major monuments offer valuable historical records of what sites such as the Taj Mahal and the imperial mosque of the Mughal emperors in Delhi looked like before twentieth-century restorations.
A vertically oriented albumen print in tan tones depicts the exterior of the Taj Mahal. Centered, a bulbous dome rises above the white stone mausoleum, its facade decorated with intricate patterns and arched entryways. In the lower left, two small figures in light clothing rest on a paved courtyard. Light from our right casts deep shadows into the recessed arches, emphasizing the structure's monumental scale against a pale, open sky.

Agra. The Taj, the Central of Principal City

1863–70

Samuel Bourne

(British, 1834–1912)
England

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