Gezicht op een tombe bij de Rani Sipri's-moskee in Ahmedabad before 1866

This photograph by Thomas Biggs captures a tomb near the Rani Sipri’s mosque in Ahmedabad, rendered in tones of brown and cream. Its composition emphasizes a structure of architectural forms. Note how the linear perspective draws the eye along the horizontal plane of the tomb towards the receding background. Biggs captures not just a building, but a complex interplay of shadow and light. The structural elements—arches, columns, and the dome—each contribute to a balanced, yet asymmetrical composition. The sepia tones and the clarity of the photograph speak to the 19th-century interest in documenting and classifying the world, employing photography as a tool for objective observation. However, by focusing on light and shadow, Biggs moves beyond mere documentation, inviting a semiotic reading where architectural elements function as signs within a cultural narrative. Consider the photograph’s formal qualities - the way Biggs framed this view to provoke questions about what we see, and how we interpret the spaces and forms within our visual field.