Artist
Samuel Bourne (British, 1834–1912)British, 1834–1912
CultureBritish
Titles
- Well of Knowledge
Date1863–1870
PlaceVaranasi, India
MediumAlbumen silver print from glass negative
DimensionsImage: 11 3/8 × 9 7/16 in. (28.9 × 24 cm)
Sheet: 11 3/8 × 9 7/16 in. (28.9 × 24 cm)
Mount: 18 9/16 × 13 in. (47.2 × 33 cm)
Sheet: 11 3/8 × 9 7/16 in. (28.9 × 24 cm)
Mount: 18 9/16 × 13 in. (47.2 × 33 cm)
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Efrem Kurtz
Object number2000.249
Not on view
Explore Further
Department
PhotographyObject Type
Samuel Bourne took this view inside the mosque of
Gyanvapi in Varanasi (formerly Benares), a city on the banks of the Ganges in
northern India. Named for the well of knowledge within its precincts, the
mosque was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb on the site of a former Hindu temple
dedicated to Shiva. Bourne’s photograph illustrates how Gyanvapi was a
palimpsest of religious faiths: inside the mosque, ornately carved pillars
surround the central statue of Nandi, a seated bull that is a fixture of Shiva
temples. The sculpture on the far wall represents Hanuman, the Hindu monkey
god.
Provenance Research Ongoing Exhibition History"India Through the Camera's Eye," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, February 7–August 12, 2018.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Inscribed in pencil, verso, lower right: "GBRS 28"
and in the lower left: "£ 50"
Inscribed in script, in black, recto of mount, beneath the center of the image/sheet: "'Gyan Bâpee' or Well of Knowledge."
Inscribed in negative, lower left and upper left: "1173"
and in the lower left: "£ 50"
Inscribed in script, in black, recto of mount, beneath the center of the image/sheet: "'Gyan Bâpee' or Well of Knowledge."
Inscribed in negative, lower left and upper left: "1173"
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.
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