Western Gateway (Gopuram) of the Minakshi Sundareshvara Temple, Madurai
1858
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1858
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a tall stone gateway covered in tiny carved figures of gods and animals, rising against a bright sky. Tripe took this photo in 1858, just as photography was becoming a way to document far-off places. The black-and-white image makes the tower feel even bigger and quieter than it really is. It’s one of the first photos of this temple, taken before color film existed. If you like how light and shadow shape the scene, look up *chiaroscuro*.
