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Daily, Starts 13 Nov 2008
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Immigration Museum
Photography at Hampi [1] [2] [3]
Short history of photography at Hampi:
In mid-19th century photography provided a new medium and was considered essential for the documentation
and preservation of these historic sites. Photographers at Hampi were undaunted by technical,
physical and logistical challenges of accessing the site, to leave an extraordinary record of
scientific genius and commitment.
Alexander Greenlaw was considered the first photographer to reach Vijayanagara in 1855. In 1981 some 60 waxed-paper negatives of his were discovered offering a unique insight into imperial Hindu kingdom. Greenslaw tirelessly capturing temples, shrines, palaces and pleasure pavilions and, the dramatic landscape surrounding. Subsequent photographers included Edmund Lyon and Nicholas & Co. This collection belongs to the Alkazi Foundation and is held currently New Delhi. Refer to a new publication:
Re-Tracing:
In 1983, taking the same angle and light condition John Gollings retraced the positions from the
Greenlaw set of images from 1855 and captured these exact scenes, some 127 years later.
In the comparison of the two images, one can observe the changes that have taken place in the monuments over time.
This material does not appear in the exhibition but is published in:
