Portret van een onbekende Naga man uit Manipur before 1868

This is a portrait of an unknown Naga man from Manipur, captured in a photograph by Benjamin Simpson. The sepia tones and oval frame lend a formal, almost classical quality to the image. The man’s direct gaze and the stark simplicity of the composition immediately draw you in. Simpson's work operates as a semiotic system, encoding visual components with cultural codes. The photograph not only captures the physical likeness of the individual, but also functions as a signifier of colonial power and anthropological documentation. The careful arrangement of the subject within the frame reflects the photographer's intent to present a specific image of the Naga people to a Western audience. The photograph exists as a historical artifact. It invites ongoing interpretation and discussion about representation, identity, and the complex relationship between photographer and subject.