One of the first photographers appointed by the British
government, Linnaeus Tripe was enlisted to document historic buildings and
religious temples. From March to April 1858, Tripe photographed Thanjavur’s
renowned “Great Pagoda,” the Rajaraesvara temple that is one of South India’s
greatest Chola temple complexes. Tripe’s dramatic compositions and painted-in
skies enhance the natural beauty of the 11th-century structure. The British
considered themselves stewards of India’s monuments following the assumption of
Crown rule in 1858, and pictures such as Tripe’s were published with text
suggesting that under colonial control “a brighter day has already dawned in
India.”