[The Earl Canning, K.G., K.S.I., G.C.B., Calcutta], India

With the invention of photography, the eighteenth-century British passion for recording exotic lands and studies of the peoples in India was given new impetus. The earliest photography on the continent dates from 1840 in Calcutta, the political center of British India. The technology for photography arrived in India quickly became popular among the local rulers-many of whom employed photographers at their courts-as well as the British who had come to make their fortunes in the colony. For both populations, the new medium replaced painting as the method for recording the local landscape, architecture, people, and important events.

Samuel Bourne was a British photographer best known for his pioneering work in India in the 19th century. Born in Staffordshire, England in 1834, he began his career as an engraver. He soon turned to photography and became one of the most important photographers of his time. In 1863, Bourne travelled to India to photograph the country's landscape and architecture. He spent several years travelling throughout the country, taking thousands of photographs that captured the beauty and diversity of India. His photographs were highly regarded for their technical excellence and artistic quality. Bourne's work was instrumental in shaping Western perceptions of India in the 19th century. His photographs were widely published in books and magazines and helped to create a romantic image of India as a land of exotic beauty and mystery. Bourne continued to work as a photographer until his death in 1912. Today, his photographs are considered some of the most important examples of early travel photography and continue to inspire photographers and artists around the world.