Suttee Ghat, Cawnpore 1858

This is a photograph by John Murray, entitled Suttee Ghat, Cawnpore. It's an albumen silver print, a process which was popular in the mid-19th century. The albumen print was one of the first commercially exploitable methods of producing a photographic positive from a negative. The process involves coating paper with albumen from egg whites and then sensitizing it with a silver nitrate solution. When exposed to light through a negative, the image appears. This labor-intensive method demanded careful preparation and handling of materials. The final result is an image with a distinctive sepia tone and a smooth surface. The tonal range is rich and warm, and as you can see here, the print is incredibly detailed. Murray would have been drawn to this process because it allowed him to capture fine details of the landscape, and the atmospheric qualities of light and shadow. Considering the effort involved in creating such a print, this photograph transcends mere documentation, it becomes a considered artistic statement. It's a potent reminder of the complex interplay between technology, labor, and artistic vision in the history of photography.