Exterieur van de Qutb Minar in Delhi 1862 - 1864

This photograph by Shepherd & Robertson captures the Qutb Minar in Delhi. It’s a black and white image, likely made using a process like albumen printing, popular in the 19th century. The visual impact hinges on the contrast between the tower's imposing, textured form and the soft, almost hazy background. The Qutb Minar itself is a monumental feat of masonry. Its construction began around 1199. Think about the labor involved: quarrying the stone, transporting it, carving the intricate details, and assembling this towering structure. Photography in this period was also labor-intensive, a far cry from our digital snapshots. Each print required careful preparation and handling of chemicals. The photograph, then, becomes a meeting point of different kinds of labor: the ancient craftsmanship of the tower and the modern, industrializing process of photography. By considering both the subject and the medium, we can appreciate how this image bridges historical moments and material practices.