Carved stele at Abhayaghiriya dagaba 1896

This photograph shows a carved stele at Abhayaghiriya dagaba taken by Henry William Cave. Cave was a British photographer known for his work documenting Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, in the late 19th century. This image captures a carved stele, a stone slab used for commemorative or religious purposes. It's crucial to understand the colonial context in which Cave operated. His photographs were often used to promote British interests and justify colonial rule. They depicted Ceylon as exotic and ancient, reinforcing the idea that it needed to be "civilized" by the West. By examining historical archives, travelogues, and colonial records, we can gain deeper insights into the power dynamics at play in Cave's work and its impact on how Ceylon was perceived by the world. Therefore, the meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.