Rotsformatie in Madan Mahal, India 1863 - 1870

Samuel Bourne captured this stark image of ‘Rock Formation in Madan Mahal, India’ with his camera in the late 19th century. The massive boulders, precariously balanced, dominate the foreground, evoking primordial forces at play, and the power of the earth. The rocks echo similar forms found in ancient mythologies—think of Atlas, bearing the weight of the world, or the Cyclops, symbols of raw, untamed power. This motif of colossal stones appears across cultures, from the megalithic structures of Stonehenge to the rock-cut temples of Petra. The enduring fascination with these forms taps into our collective unconscious, resonating with primal fears and awe. It also reflects a deep-seated human desire to understand and tame the natural world, to find order in chaos. Here, we are confronted with the sublime, an experience that engages us on a deeply subconscious level. This is not just a landscape; it is a stage for an ongoing drama.