[Simla Bazaar]
1858–61
![[Simla Bazaar] by Unknown](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/ph/thumb/simla-bazaar-287676.webp)
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
Image: 15.2 x 19.6 cm (6 x 7 11/16 in.) Mount: 33 x 26 cm (13 x 10 1/4 in.) Print mounted vertically.
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Purchase, Cynthia Hazen Polsky Gift, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.491.1 (76)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the bustling heart of colonial India with *[Simla Bazaar]*, an evocative albumen silver print from 1858–61. Captured by an unknown photographer, this image (15.2 x 19.6 cm) vividly portrays the lively marketplace nestled amid rolling hills and architectural landmarks. The tags—Buildings, Hills, Landscapes—highlight its scenic composition, blending everyday commerce with the dramatic Himalayan backdrop that made Simla (now Shimla) a cherished British hill station. Albumen silver prints, a hallmark of mid-19th-century photography, used egg whites to create a glossy surface for sharp, ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...