The Taj, from the River, Agra
Photograph
ca. 1860s (photographed)
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.
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 | |
| Title | The Taj, from the River, 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 photograph of the Taj Mahal with the river Jumna along side it. It shows the two buildings alongside the main tomb, the mosque on the right hand side and a similar building on the left which is known as a 'jawab' (answer) and was used as a guest house. In the foreground is the river bank where there are people washing clothes. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Signature and negative number in bottom right hand side. |
| 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 wrote an account of his journey in India 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 Mahal 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, Pg 269. |
| Other number | 1078 - Negative number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 53235 |
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| Record created | January 12, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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