Through Indian Eyes

The camera came to India in 1840, and this is an account of the affect it had on the country through cultural institutions and conceptual systems, thus changing such systems. Although brought to India by Europeans to document the subcontinent for their governments, royals, and interested scholars back home, the camera was picked up by Indians, who immediately began to show their countrymen – and the world – how they saw themselves. It became an anthropological study from within. This book tells the story of visual perceptions and how photography shaped those perceptions. It does so by examining 19th century photographs from India taken only by Indians.

Judith Gutman has taught at several universities, and has lectured and written as an independent scholar on topics exploring imagery and society.

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