Moonstone and steps 1896

Henry William Cave created this photograph titled, *Moonstone and steps*, as part of his work documenting Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a British photographer in Ceylon, Cave’s work straddles the line between objective documentation and subjective interpretation, often reflecting the cultural biases of the colonial era. Cave's photographs captured a land marked by the intersection of indigenous culture and colonial power. The moonstone, a semi-circular stone carving at the base of stairways in ancient Sinhalese architecture, symbolizes a cycle of existence. In photographing this detail, Cave offers a glimpse into a spiritual and artistic tradition, yet his perspective is undoubtedly shaped by the socio-political context of British colonialism. Cave's photographs, while aesthetically pleasing, serve as historical documents that remind us to consider the power dynamics inherent in how cultures are represented. They invite us to reflect on the complex interplay between the observer and the observed, between the colonizer and the colonized.