{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1364112"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1364112/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JR2083/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JR2083/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2016JR2083","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1364112/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1364112","accessionNumber":"52947","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"View below the Meribul Pass, Singpore","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"Singpur","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"In 1863 Samuel Bourne (1834-1912) arrived in India. He had left his job as a Nottingham bank clerk in order to develop his new career as a photographer. Bourne undertook three treks to Kashmir and the western Himalayas in 1863, 1864 and 1866, during which he photographed his surroundings extensively.\n\r\nHe began his second trip to India, during which this photograph was taken, in March 1864. It was to be a nine-month expedition through the Kashmir region. Throughout his travels Bourne wrote about his first impressions of the places he visited and these writings were published in the British Journal of Photography. Of his first impressions of Singpore he noted: \"A village of two houses called Singpore was my next sleeping place. This was situated about eight miles below the Meribul Pass, which now rose  majestically before me, and which I had to cross in my next march to get into Kashmir. Having seen everything in order, I started at daybreak to make the ascent; but after proceeding about a mile I came across such a lovely spot that I at once called a halt for the purpose of taking some pictures. A lively little stream came tumbling down from the snow, overhung by trees of varied foliage, the cascades gleaming through them, and the snowy range rising proudly above. I took three different pictures, a large and small one of each making six negatives, and by the time I had finished, found that it was then too late to think of crossing the pass that day, especially as it had now become enveloped in thick clouds...\" Bourne, S, Narrative of a  Photographic Trip to Kashmir (Cashmere) and the Adjacent Districts, The British Journal of Photography, 7 December 1886, p.58\n\r\nTowards the end of the 1860s, Bourne established a partnership with fellow photographer and Englishman Charles Shepherd (fl.1858-1878) and in the space of a few years Bourne & Shepherd became the pre-eminent photographic firm in India. By the end of 1870 they had three branches, in Simla, Calcutta and Bombay.\n\r\nSamuel Bourne’s ability to combine technical skill and artistic vision has led to him being recognised today as one of the most outstanding photographers working in India in the nineteenth century.","physicalDescription":"The photograph shows a view below the Meribul pass, looking towards a river surrounded by trees and snow-topped mountains in the background.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Bourne, Samuel","id":"A8171"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"wet collodion process","id":"AAT133299"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print from wet collodion negative","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2016JR2083"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES406610"},"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":"1864","earliest":"1864-01-01","latest":"1864-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"246","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"paper mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"202","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"paper 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. The mount is white. Bottom Left: Label from Bourne catalogue with some handwritten text.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph, 'View below the Meribul Pass, Singpore', albumen print, Samuel Bourne, India, 1860s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"The negative was made in 1864. This print was made before March 1867.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"India","id":"x29790"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["52947"],"accessionNumberNum":"52947","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Negative number","id":"THES50273"},"number":"777"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-05","recordCreationDate":"2016-08-18","availableToBook":false}}