Samuel Bourne
Group of Kashmiri Women, Srinigar, Kashmir Province, India, 1863-1870
Albumen print from a glass negative
The print: 21.5 x 28.2 cm
11845 C
Further images
Samuel Bourne (30 October 1834 – 24 April 1912) was a British photographer renowned for his seven years of work in India from 1863 to 1870. In partnership with Charles...
Samuel Bourne (30 October 1834 – 24 April 1912) was a British photographer renowned for his seven years of work in India from 1863 to 1870. In partnership with Charles Shepherd, he founded Bourne & Shepherd in Shimla in 1863, later moving the studio to Kolkata (Calcutta). The company continued until its closure in June 2016.
Bourne was born in Staffordshire, and after working in banking, he shifted his focus to photography. By 1862, his work had been exhibited in London, prompting him to move to India as a professional photographer. He first partnered with William Howard in Calcutta, then relocated to Simla and expanded his partnership to include Shepherd, forming Howard, Bourne & Shepherd, later becoming Bourne & Shepherd in 1866.
Bourne undertook three major Himalayan expeditions between 1863 and 1866, photographing landscapes and architecture. His work, known for its technical precision and artistic quality, captured some of the most remote areas of India and the Himalayas. By the time he returned to England in 1871, Bourne had created approximately 2,200 photographs, making him one of the premier travel photographers of the 19th century.
In 1870, Bourne left India permanently and sold his interest in the business. He settled in Nottingham, where he shifted focus to a cotton-doubling business and watercolour painting. Bourne continued to enjoy photography as a hobby and passed away in 1912.
Bourne’s legacy as a pioneering landscape photographer in India endures, and his extensive archive of photographs continues to be celebrated for its exceptional technical and artistic value.
Bourne was born in Staffordshire, and after working in banking, he shifted his focus to photography. By 1862, his work had been exhibited in London, prompting him to move to India as a professional photographer. He first partnered with William Howard in Calcutta, then relocated to Simla and expanded his partnership to include Shepherd, forming Howard, Bourne & Shepherd, later becoming Bourne & Shepherd in 1866.
Bourne undertook three major Himalayan expeditions between 1863 and 1866, photographing landscapes and architecture. His work, known for its technical precision and artistic quality, captured some of the most remote areas of India and the Himalayas. By the time he returned to England in 1871, Bourne had created approximately 2,200 photographs, making him one of the premier travel photographers of the 19th century.
In 1870, Bourne left India permanently and sold his interest in the business. He settled in Nottingham, where he shifted focus to a cotton-doubling business and watercolour painting. Bourne continued to enjoy photography as a hobby and passed away in 1912.
Bourne’s legacy as a pioneering landscape photographer in India endures, and his extensive archive of photographs continues to be celebrated for its exceptional technical and artistic value.
