'Woman lighting a lamp inside a temple', black and white photograph by Frank Monaco, India, 1950s-1960s, printed in 1990s

This photograph is in sharp black and white contrasts. The background is bright white showing some form of writing on the walls. In the foreground is a woman pouring oil from a small glass bottle into a temple lamp. The lamp itself is formed out of many small lamps attached in tiers to a central lamp stand. Some of the lamps are lighted, the flame just being visible.

Given by Frank Monaco

This print made in the 1990s. In a letter written to the museum after Frank Monaco’s death in 2007, his nephew, Oliver Morse wrote:

‘We believe that Frank visited India 16 times during the last 25 years of his life. His papers show that he went there for two weeks in February 2004, and we think that this was his final visit. From the 1950s up until about the year 2000 his camera of choice was the Leica. This remained his favourite camera, but in about 2000 he also started using a digital camera. At this time he also took with him on his trips a second separate digital camera loaded with colour film. This enabled him to photograph the same scene in colour within the same 5 minute period….’
Letter dated January 15th 2008 is in the Registered file: 1999/709

In a further letter dated 19th January 2008, his other nephew, Jonathan Morse, found a list of dates in his diary which he believes were the dates that Frank travelled to India.

The 19 dates are noted in the Registered file: 1999/709

This photograph shows a woman pouring oil from a small glass bottle into a temple lamp. The lamp itself is formed out of many small lamps attached in tiers to a central lamp stand. You can just see the flame in some of the lamps.

In Hindu philosophy, fire is one of the sustaining forces of nature. It was created by God and as such it not only banishes darkness and evil but also consumes sins. A lighted lamp invites the gods to the place of worship and acts as a mediator between man and God. Fire (or the lighted lamp) is therefore a central part of any Hindu ritual.

The American photojournalist Frank Monaco (1917-2007) did not take up photography until the early 1950s. He visited India many times between 1965 and 2004 and took a series of photographs which document temples and the busy life in and around the temple sites. In his images Monaco manages to capture people worshipping and performing ritual ceremonies within the temple complex and beyond without being intrusive.

IS.96-2006