Not currently on display at the V&A

Taj and garden from the Entrance Gate, Agra

Photograph
ca. 1860s (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This view of the Taj Mahal is by the English photographer Samuel Bourne. He first travelled to India in 1863 and spent six years there, photographing extensively. He wrote about his journey in The British Journal of Photography, outlining his route and in some cases describing the scenes he photographed.

Bourne’s first sight of the Taj Mahal was overwhelming. He wrote: ‘The world knows not another building to be compared with the Taj. It rises in its queenly beauty on the banks of the Jumna, and the eye that has once gazed on its snowy whiteness and dazzling splendour can never forget it.’

Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in honour of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She died in 1631 giving birth to her 14th child. Completed in 1643, the Taj is the greatest achievement of the Mughal architectural tradition because of its perfect synthesis of symmetry and simplicity of form. The building of the mausoleum alone was said to cost five million rupees. This did not include the cost of the white marble, which was extracted from Makrana in Rajasthan.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTaj and garden from the Entrance Gate, Agra (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Albumen print from a wet collodion glass negative
Brief description
Photograph of the Taj Mahal, Agra, India by Samuel Bourne, 1860s
Physical description
This photographs shows a front view of the Taj Mahal taken from the top of the grand entrance. The high view point shows clearly the large amount of trees infront of the Taj which are no longer there. Leading to the front of the monument is a paved pathway in the centre of which is a marble canal with a row of fountain heads. A reflection of the Taj can be seen in the water inthe canal. There are people in the mid-ground which give a sense of scale.

For a view of the gateway from which this photograph was taken see 80086.
Dimensions
  • Photograph length: 29.2cm
  • Photograph height: 23cm
  • Mount length: 33cm
  • Mount height: 26.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
Signature and negative number in bottom centre.
Gallery label
The British photographer Samuel Bourne travelled to India in 1863 and spent seven years there, photographing extensively. Bourne’s first sight of the Taj Mahal was overwhelming. He wrote: ‘The world knows not another building to be compared with the Taj. It rises in its queenly beauty on the banks of the Jumna, and the eye that has once gazed on its snowy whiteness and dazzling splendour can never forget it.’ The over-grown trees in this photograph were cut down in 1903 in order to return the garden to its original design.
Object history
This photograph was initially part of the photographic collection held in the National Art Library. The markings on the mount are an indication of the history of the object, its movement through the museum and the way it is categorised.
The mount is white. Bottom Left: Label from Bourne catalogue with some handwritten text.
Bottom right: label with ‘ A.in. Agra’

Historical significance: Samuel Bourne first travelled to India in 1863. He wrote an account about his journey in the British Journal of Photography, outlining his route and in some cases describing the scenes of which he took photographs. His account of the Taj can be found in:

Bourne, S, A Photographic journey through the Higher Himalayas, The British Journal of Photography, 1 July 1863, Pg 269.
Production
Although Bourne visited the Taj Mahal in 1863 he did not photograph on that first sighting. He would have photographed on a later visit.
Place depicted
Summary
This view of the Taj Mahal is by the English photographer Samuel Bourne. He first travelled to India in 1863 and spent six years there, photographing extensively. He wrote about his journey in The British Journal of Photography, outlining his route and in some cases describing the scenes he photographed.

Bourne’s first sight of the Taj Mahal was overwhelming. He wrote: ‘The world knows not another building to be compared with the Taj. It rises in its queenly beauty on the banks of the Jumna, and the eye that has once gazed on its snowy whiteness and dazzling splendour can never forget it.’

Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in honour of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She died in 1631 giving birth to her 14th child. Completed in 1643, the Taj is the greatest achievement of the Mughal architectural tradition because of its perfect synthesis of symmetry and simplicity of form. The building of the mausoleum alone was said to cost five million rupees. This did not include the cost of the white marble, which was extracted from Makrana in Rajasthan.
Bibliographic reference
Bourne, S, A Photographic journey through the Higher Himalayas, The British Journal of Photography, 1 July 1863, pp. 269-270.
Other number
1075 - Negative number
Collection
Accession number
53232

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Record createdJanuary 12, 2006
Record URL
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