{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O120286"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O120286/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AC5055/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AC5055/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AC5055","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O120286/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O120286","accessionNumber":"53261","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"The Great Gate, distant view from the S.E, Futtehpur Sikri.","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"The Buland Darwaza at Fatephur Sikri, Agra, India","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This photograph shows the monumental gateway, known as the Buland Darwaza, of the Jami Masjid (mosque). The mosque is the principle building at Fatehpur Sikri. The city, near Agra, north-west India, was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar (ruled 1556-1605). According to an inscription in the building, construction of the mosque was completed in 1571 to 1572. \r\n\r\nThe building is made of local red sandstone. It stands 40 metres high on a set of steps which are a further 12 metres in height. This photograph also shows part of the outer walls, which measure 33.6 metres by 165 metres. The straw roofs in the foreground could be for residential houses or for stables.\r\n\r\nThe British photographer Samuel Bourne lived and worked in India between 1862 and 1869. During this time he toured the Himalayas and travelled through the subcontinent, photographing its landscape, architecture and historical sites. He set up a studio in Simla with Charles Shepherd and sold his prints sold to an eager public both in India and Britain.","physicalDescription":"This photograph shows the buland darwaza of the Jami Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri in Agra. \r\nThe photograph is taken from some distance away and shows the hill on which the Jami Masjid is built and indicates the imposing nature of its structure. In the midground  are residential brick structures and trees. In the foreground there are built structures with staw  roofs - possibly stables.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bourne, Samuel","id":"A8171"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"Wet collodion process","id":"AAT133299"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print from a wet collodian glass negative","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AC5055"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES403839"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"India","id":"x29790"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1865","earliest":"1860-01-01","latest":"1869-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"30","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"photograph","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"photograph","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"32.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signature and negative number in bottom right hand corner","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"This photograph was initially part of the photographic collection held in the National Art Library. The markings on the mount are an indication of the history of the object, its movement through the museum and the way it is categorised. \r\nThe mount is white. Bottom Left: Label from Bourne catalogue with some handwritten text. \r\nBottom right:  label with ‘ A.in. Fatehpur Sikri.\n\nHistorical significance: This monumental gateway dominates the southern side of the Jami Masjid. It is 40 meters high and stands on a set of steps which are a further 12 meters in height. The masjid is made of red sandstone which is local to the area. The design of the gateway cleverly uses buff coloured sandstone alongside the red sandstone to create depth and a visually stimulating façade. Surrounding the doorway are three cartouches carved on buff sandstone which contain verses from the Quran in Naksh script.\r\n\r\nThe gateway, which faces Gujarat, was built to celebrate the emperor Akbar’s conquest of that region in June 1573 and probably  replaced a smaller entrance built slightly earlier. This imposing structure is visible for miles around and reflects the imperial status of its creator.\r\n\r\nThe masjid occupies the highest point on the ridge on which the city of Fatehpur Sikri has been built. It took five years to construct and according to an inscription, construction was completed in 1571-72.\r\n\r\nThis photograph shows the imposing nature of the Buland Darwaza as seen from the residential areas beyond the city walls. It also shows part of the outer walls of the mosque which measure 33.6 meters by 165 meters externally. In the foreground are some straw roofs which could be for residential houses or for stables. In the midground there is a brick wall lining the side of a road and clusters of trees nearby. See photograph no 53,259 for a closer view of the gate. It is the sheer height of the gateway which is most notable.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of Fatehpur Sikri, India by Samuel Bourne, 1860s.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Alfieri, B.M, Islamic Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, London 2000,"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Archaeological Survey of India, Fatehpur Sikri, New Delhi, 2002"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Asher, C, B, Architecture of Mughal India, The New Cambridhe History of India, , CUP, 1992"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Rizve, S.A & Flynn, V.N, Fathpur Sikri, 1975"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"India","id":"x29790"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["53261"],"accessionNumberNum":"53261","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Negative number","id":"THES50273"},"number":"1265A"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2006-01-09","availableToBook":true}}