India: Pioneering Photographers 1850-1900 [Paperback]

John Falconer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 9, 2002

After the public announcement of the invention of the camera in 1839, photography spread swiftly round the world, and by the early 1850s the medium had become well-established in the Indian subcontinent. In a land characterised by the variety and splendour of its architecture and landscapes, and the diversity of its peoples and customs, India offered the photographic artist an unsurpassed range of subject matter.

In addition to the artistic achievements of international masters of photography like Dr John Murray and Samuel Bourne, official encouragement of the medium as a documentary tool came from the East India Company. By the mid-1850s a remarkable visual 'archive' had been created, which charted the architectural heritage and ethnic composition of the subcontinent. This book, which accompanied a major exhibition of 19th century images from India, traces the development of photography from 1850 to 1900, when the ascendency of the large format camera and print began to crumble in the face of the simplified amateur camera. Drawn from the collections of the British Library, and Howard and Jane Ricketts, the book is illustrated with some of the finest photographs produced in India during the latter half of the nineteenth century, many never previously reproduced.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: The British Library (February 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0712347461
• ISBN-13: 978-0712347464
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,769,061 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another interesting addition..., October 22, 2002

By 

Recipedelights-dot-com-chef (San Francisco, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: India: Pioneering Photographers 1850-1900 (Paperback)

Mysterious and mystical India has always drawn more than its share of the inquisitive travelers from around the world. That was especially the case after the invention of photography. Many photographers struggled to capture the unique aspects of India and its unsurpassed range of subject matter- ranging from its people and landscape to its events and architecture. By 1850s photography became popular enough to replace (in many instances) painting as a medium of choice for recording. Some rulers even added photographers to their retinue. In spite of the rush of photography during this time, very few pictures have survived and it is quite rare to find good quality samples.

This book is another interesting addition in the genre of books that capture the images of British India during the infancy of photography. It draws heavily from the collections of the British library and the Howard and Jane Ricketts Collection. Rare photographs from well-known photographers of the day make this an exquisite photographic record of a bygone colonial era. This book would be a good buy for collectors.

4.0 out of 5 stars a wow book - but a wow price as of 2010, December 11, 2010

By 

Stephen Pellerine (In a bookshelf somewhere) - See all my reviews

This review is from: India: Pioneering Photographers 1850-1900 (Paperback)

Not sure I get the pricing here at a $300 to $400 price range I am not sure who would be able to afford a 142 page book on images of India. I do not recommend purchasing the book at such a price, you will certainly not thank me.

I would however recommend purchasing the book if you find it for a reasonable fee - I paid $3 on a bargain rack - and what a bargain it is.

In this book you will find vintage portraits, landscapes capturing time and culture, and as a non-Indian living in India, a very wonderful doorway into such an amazingly wonderful spectacle. If you like photo books on themes of culture this is a book you would love.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another interesting addition..., October 22, 2002

By 

Recipedelights-dot-com-chef (San Francisco, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: India: Pioneering Photographers 1850-1900 (Paperback)

Mysterious and mystical India has always drawn more than its share of the inquisitive travelers from around the world. That was especially the case after the invention of photography. Many photographers struggled to capture the unique aspects of India and its unsurpassed range of subject matter- ranging from its people and landscape to its events and architecture. By 1850s photography became popular enough to replace (in many instances) painting as a medium of choice for recording. Some rulers even added photographers to their retinue. In spite of the rush of photography during this time, very few pictures have survived and it is quite rare to find good quality samples.

This book is another interesting addition in the genre of books that capture the images of British India during the infancy of photography. It draws heavily from the collections of the British library and the Howard and Jane Ricketts Collection. Rare photographs from well-known photographers of the day make this an exquisite photographic record of a bygone colonial era. This book would be a good buy for collectors.