Set of Five Books on Vintage Indian Photography
a) Vidya Dehija, India Through the Lens: Photography 1840-1911, Munich, London, New York: Freer Gallery and Arthur M Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 2000 / Freer Gallery / Sackler Gallery, 2000
315 pages with numerous black and white and color illustrations; dark brown cloth with white spine along with pictorial dust jacket
24.1 x 27.9 cm
"At the turn of the millennium, photography is ubiquitous and unquestioned. A century and a half ago, however, notes curator and scholar Vidya Dehejia, `the simple ability to produce a photograph was in itself a marvel . . . The early decades of the nineteenth century witnessed the pursuit of a dream, an obsession with cajoling nature into a miraculous reflection upon a surface where it could be captured and retained for all time.` India was at the vanguard of the explosion of photography; both Indian and foreigner (mainly British) strove to document and reveal the Indian landscape, people, and architecture. The essays in this book reveal the history and importance of photography in India, from the appeal of the panorama to the documentation of people, places, and princes - and to the outstanding Indian photographer, Lala Deen Dayal, who was unique in being esteemed by both the world of the British and the world of princely India. This book appeals to specialists and no specialists alike—all those who love early photography or British India are bound to enjoy India through the Lens." (Introduction text on the dust jacket)
Divided into thematic sections, the volume looks at the individual genres of photography in India. These include city panoramas, documentary records of architectural monuments and native peoples of India, images of war, landscapes, portraits of the Maharajas, images of the British Empire, and native Indian photographers, focusing in particular on the remarkable Lala Deen Dayal. While the approach is very aware of the often intertwined roles of photography and colonialism, the deciding factor in the selection of the images is aesthetic quality. The book accompanies an exhibition held at the Arthur M Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. It is the first publication to focus on this subject in such depth.
Vidya Dehejia is a retired academic and the Barbara Stoler Miller Professor Emerita of Indian and South Asian Art at Columbia University. She has published 24 books and numerous academic papers on the art of South Asia and has curated many exhibitions on the same theme.
She has been awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Indian government and a Freer Medal from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art. She is the author of ‘Impossible Picturesques: Edward Lear’s Indian Watercolors 1873-1875’ (1989) and coauthor of ‘From Merchants to Emperors: British Artists and India 1757-1930’ (1986) and many other publications.
b) Ray Desmond, Victorian India in Focus: A Selection of Early Photographs From the Collection in the India Office Library and Records,, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO), 1982
100 pages, profusely illustrated, nearly all plates are in sepia tone with explanatory captions; hardbound with brown leathercloth with gilt decoration to front cover with original dust wrappers
22.8 x 27.9 cm
The book covers subjects such as Great Britain; India Office; Library; Catalogs; Indian History; 19th century pictorial works; India Description and Travel Views; British Occupation, 1765-1947; Pictorial Works; Photography; Asia, India, 19th century. Genre: History.
"In Victorian India, almost as rapidly as in Europe, photography was taken up by Indians and Europeans as a profitable professional enterprise and as a fashionable hobby. It was soon realized, too, how valuable its application could be in such serious pursuits as archaeology and ethnography.
Despite the primitive cameras and the cumbersome ancillary equipment early photographers had to use, not to mention the formidable technical problems peculiar to photography in the tropics, much of what has survived of nineteenth-century photography in India is of an exceptionally high standard, comparable in quality with the best of European photography of the same period. The dramatically varied landscapes, the contrasts of opulence and poverty, the strangeness of creeds and customs, and the complexity of India's racial and cultural heritage were all potent stimuli for professionals and amateurs alike.
Ray Desmond, who was Deputy Librarian at the India Office Library and Records and a leading authority on early photography in India, became interested in this subject when he saw for the first time the large and varied collection of photographs that the Library holds. From this remarkably rich source, he has selected a magnificent album of photographs illustrating people, places and events in such a way as to convey the quality of life in Victorian India. His authoritative text and captions trace the early progress of photography in the Subcontinent and place the photographs, many published now for the first time, in their social and historical context
Mr Desmond is the author of The India Museum 1801-1879 (HMS0, 1982) and the joint author of Simla: A Hill Station in British India (1978) and Railways of the Raj (1980)". (Introduction text on the dust jacket)
c) Judith Maria Gutman, Through Indian Lens, New York: Oxford University Press, 1982
ii-xii + 198 pages; hardbound with black cloth binding with gilt text to the spine and pictorial dust jacket
24.1 x 30.5 cm
This book explores the evolution of photography in colonial India, focusing on how the medium captured cultural, historical, and societal shifts. The book examines images by both Indian and British photographers, contextualizing their work within broader narratives of empire and identity.
The publication was originally tied to an exhibition hosted at the International Center of Photography in New York. Gutman uses photographs as historical artefacts, revealing how they were influenced by and contributed to India's colonial history. She also examines the unique aesthetics and cultural implications embedded in Indian photography of the period.
The book is not only a historical study but also a critical analysis of photography as a medium that shapes perception. It includes a supplementary list of exhibition items, a selected bibliography, and an index. These features make it a valuable resource for those studying photography, South Asian history, or post-colonial studies.
d) Clark Worswick, Princely India: Photographs by Raja Deen Dayal, 1884-1910, New York: The Pennwick Foundation, Agrinde Publications and Knopf, 1980
151 pages with 128 black and white photographic plates; black boards with gilt lettering at the spine along with pictorial dust wrappers
24 x 29 cm
This book is an evocative collection showcasing the photographic legacy of Raja Deen Dayal, an esteemed court photographer in British India. Published in 1980, the book features sepia-toned images that document the grandeur of princely states, their rulers, and iconic architecture. With a foreword by John Kenneth Galbraith, it emphasizes Dayal’s artistry and his role in preserving a bygone era of Indian history.
e) Clark Worswick and Ainslie Embree, The Last Empire: Photography in British India, 1855-1911, New York: Aperture Foundation, 1976
152 pages; hardbound with pictorial dust jacket
NTK Size
This stunning collection highlights the intersection of history and photography during the British Raj in India. The book showcases rare and remarkable photographs taken between 1855 and 1911, many of which have been gathered from private and institutional collections worldwide. These images capture the grandeur of the Indian landscape, archaeological treasures, and the intricate pageantry of colonial and native life. From vivid portraits of ruling princes to the documentation of British military regalia and native traditions, the photographs present a vivid yet nuanced view of colonial India’s cultural and political dynamics.
The book also serves as a visual history of early photographic practices, featuring works by pioneering British photographer-adventurers. The images reveal not only the technological advancements of the era but also the imperialistic lens through which the Subcontinent was often viewed. The accompanying text provides insights into the photographers’ experiences and the colonial ideology of the time, making it an essential resource for understanding the visual culture of the British Empire.
(Set of five)