Author Archives: Photomuse Editor

Ms. Annie Besant, c.1900, Albumen Print, 152×104 mm, Photographer- Bharahitishi Co., Muttra, U. P., PhotoMuse Collection, 2017, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal.

Annie Besant (1847 –1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, women’s rights activist, writer, orator, educationist, and philanthropist. Regarded as a champion of human freedom, she was an ardent supporter of both Irish and Indian self-rule. She was a prolific author with over three hundred books and pamphlets to her credit. As an educationist, her contributions included…

The former Royal Alfred Sailors’ Home, Bombay, 1890, Albumen Print, 140×210 mm, Unknown Photographer, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The former Royal Alfred Sailors’ Home, Bombay, designed by Frederick William Stevens. This was enlarged in 1928 by the construction of the Council Hall behind it, and is often found as the Council Hall in earlier sources; it is now the State Police Headquarters for Maharashtra.

Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab, c.1900, Albumen Print, 150×220 mm, Unknown Photographer, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The Darbār Sahib or Harmandir Sahib also known as Golden Temple is a Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the preeminent spiritual site of Sikhism.

Portrait of Mr. Benedict, c.1870, Carte de visite, 105×65 mm, Photographer – Wiseman 9, Southampton, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The carte de visite (visiting card), abbreviated CdV, was a type of small photograph which was patented in Paris by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, although first used by Louis Dodero. Each photograph was the size of a visiting card, and such photograph cards were commonly traded among friends and visitors in the…

Portrait of an American, c.1870, Carte de visite, 100×64 mm, Photographer – Theo Farringtons, Iowa, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The carte de visite (visiting card), abbreviated CdV, was a type of small photograph which was patented in Paris by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, although first used by Louis Dodero. Each photograph was the size of a visiting card, and such photograph cards were commonly traded among friends and visitors in the…

Portrait of Baby, c.1880, Cabinet Card, 108 x165 mm, Photographer – Brown, N.Y., PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The cabinet card was a style of photograph which was widely used for photographic portraiture after 1870. It consisted of a thin photograph mounted on a card typically measuring 108 by 165 mm (4 1⁄4 by 6 1⁄2 inches). It was usually made of an albumen print, The cabinet card was larger and usually included…