Edges of Empire

The Cotton Market, Bombay, taken by John Williams, depicts a group of men working on a cotton farm in India. The men working are of various ages, as the men in the left half of the picture appear to be much older while the men on the right half of the picture look to be younger. There is also a teenager working on this farm, depicted sitting on the ground in front of the older men on the left. From their white matching outfits, it can be deduced that these men work in the fields in the hot sun and they wear white so as not attract heat to their body. In the background, there are two stacks of cotton bales. The triangular wooden structure suggests that the men are weighing out the cotton they picked so as to bring it to the marketplace and sell it appropriately. It can be deduced from this photograph that these men belong to the lower class and that their primary source of income, if not their only source of income, comes from their performance of manual labor in the cotton fields. However, the expressions and body language of these men appear to be rather depressed and gloomy, which raises the question: From where does this feeling of depression originate? Moreover, given that the picture was taken between 1855 and 1862 when India was under rule of the British empire, it raises another question: was this labor voluntary or forced on these Indian men?

Mercado en un Calle, taken by Abel Briquet, depicts a small marketplace in a rural village in Mexico. On the left side of the street, there appears to be a man with his three kids standing at what appears to be their stand in the marketplace. On the right side of the street, there looks to be a man and woman, possibly husband and wife, stationed at another stand potentially looking to purchase something. Behind them, there is a small girl walking down the street towards the camera holding a basket in one hand and what looks like a bucket in the other. On both sides of the streets there are smaller buildings that look like houses in the village. In the background, there is a larger building with more detailed architectural designs, including statues, columns, and a large wooden double door. The more sophisticated design of this building suggests that it is an important one, such as a church or a town hall. The stands on both sides of the street, accompanied by the multitudes of baskets and pots, suggest that this is a local homemade goods market within the village. It can be deduced from this that the village is a rather poor one, as people are relying on selling homemade goods in order to make ends meet and make a living for themselves. It is important to notice the body language of the people in the picture. The girl carrying the basket walking towards the camera has a very blank expression. The man and woman on the right side are looking away from the camera. Most notably, the man and his family are all looking at the camera with depressed expressions. In addition, one of the children is clutching to his father, appearing to be scared of the person taking the picture. This raises the question: why is the little boy scared? Is he scared of the person taking the picture or is he scared of something else not captured by the photograph?

14 Sikhs in Action India
Creator: Dayal, Lala Dean (1870-1889)

Disposing of bodies on a Mexican battlefield Mexico
Creator: Walter H. Horne (1910-1916)

War and colonialism have played a large part on both Mexican and Indian history. The two photographs above show military personnel and acts in both of these countries. On the left, in the picture titled 14 Sikhs in Action, we can see the British-Indian troops lining up and shooting at their enemies. On the right, in the picture titled disposing of bodies in a Mexican battlefield, we can see the Spanish getting ready to dispose of the dead. Both cases are effects of war and colonialism as many people die in the hopes of aiding the colonizers or aiding the colonized. A difference between these two pictures is that in the Indian picture, we can see that some Indian soldiers are fighting alongside the British. However, in the Mexican picture the Spanish and Mexicans do not appear to be cooperative in anyway. It can be guessed that more Indians were used in the British’s colonization efforts than Mexicans in the Spanish’s colonization efforts.

The two photographs also differ in the timing of being captured. The Indian photograph appears to have been taken in the midst of battle while the Mexican photograph was taken after a battle on the battlefield. The photographs also appear to have been taken for differing purposes. I assume that the Indian photograph was taken with the intention of showing how the Indian military has strengthened under British rule. The steady battle formation points to a trained and disciplined military force that has learned much from the British way of fighting. On the other hand, the Mexican photograph just shows the Spanish burying the Mexicans which demonstrates the Spanish’s domination and overwhelming power over the Mexicans. Despite the similarities between the two photographs the way in which each was taken tell a completely different story.

The main point that both photographs show is that Western intervention into these indigenous people has brought about war and death. Colonialism itself has brought about war and death. Even if the British brought about military discipline and training among the Indians, that type of training would only lead to battles being fought by these Indian soldiers and more of the Indians dying. As for the Spanish, their methods of shock and awe simply require Mexican lives to be sacrificed to set an example and allow for the Spanish to rule through fear.

The Organ in the Cathedral of Mexico is a 1904 photograph, shot by Charles Betts Waite. Waite was an Ohio born artist, specializing in the traveling images of the Southwest of the United States and Mexico. It is a portrait depiction of a European style organ in a Mexican cathedral. The photo contains no people within the frame, but still manages to be a very busy photograph. From an architectural perspective, it is blatant that it was made a point to minimize indigenous influences on the style of the church. Such Eurocentrism raises questions as to how the cathedral was built; in terms of funding, labor, and land acquisition.

Native Converts to Christianity is William Johnson’s photograph dated in the period roughly 1855-1862. The photo is a part of Governor of Mumbai, Sir Bartle Frere’s, three volume Photographs of Western India collection. Within the frame, we see four women in various poses. While the title of the piece indicates their conversion, the women are still dressed in their native garb. Because it is easy to see that this is a staged photo, this point of conversion yet preservation of culture, is not an accidental theme. The question then rises as to why Johnson did not put any visible Christian imagery in the shot.  

Title of Painting/Photograph: Tehuana in Baile Costume

Painter/Illustrator/Photographer: Hickman & Todd, Fotografos

My observations for this photograph includes a woman standing. She has flowers in her hair, and fine necklaces around her neck. She has something draped over her arm, but I’m not sure what it is. It looks like she is posing in the photo. From these observations, I have deduced that she is dressed in nice/traditional clothing, so she may be someone with status. She has nice jewelry and is accessorized really well, so once again, she may be someone with status, and she has nice jewelry and is accessorized really well, so once again, she may be someone with status. The questions I have are who is she/is she someone of importance, and what was the photographers purpose?

Title of Painting/Photograph: Owditch (or Water) Brahmin

Painter/Illustrator/Photographer: [Owdich Brahmins (Some Employed as Clerks, Some Water Procurers)]

My observations include three men who appear to be Indian. The photographer may have used a false background, and the men are holding what appears to be water containers. There may be a hookah present, but I am not certain. Two men appear to be standing and looking off in space, while one man in bent over holding a wooden stick. From these observations, I deduce these men may be workers due to the tools they have in their hands. The background looks false, so the photographer could have staged the men, and these men may be lower class due to the way they are dressed. The questions I have are: what was the photographers purpose of the men were staged, and what are the three men doing/why do they have those tools?

Tehuana Woman Holding Bowl

This image depicts a Tehuana woman holding a decorative, possibly porcelain bowl. She is wearing a traditional Tehuantepec dress and headwear. The dress is heavily embroidered and her accessories consist of two necklaces. Behind her there is a hut and a large building, possibly signifying a marketplace or a home? She is carrying a cloth which might be used to cover objects in the bowl or she is about to do some laundry. Her dress and stance symbolize she is of high class and standing.

Bahatia Woman

This image depicts three Bhatia women posing for the camera. They are wearing traditional Indian textiles accessorized with various amounts of jewelry such as: bangles, toes rings, jhumka earrings, and Indian chokers. The woman on the left is leaning on a very decorative Indian chair. The furniture, dress, and jewelry signify these women as being somewhat wealthy. However, their expressions paint a contrasting picture. This image parades a somber mood which could be the result of the recent colonization of the British in their country.