Darjeeling. Kinchinjunga and the Snows from Beechwood Park

1890

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Darjeeling. Kinchinjunga and the Snows from Beechwood Park is a 1890 by Photoglob Co., a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Photoglob Co.
When & what style?: 1890 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You’re looking down at a hillside town with red roofs, a white church steeple, and a train puffing smoke. Beyond it, snow peaks rise sharp against a pale sky—the third-tallest mountain in the world. This photo was made by a Swiss company that sold travel views to armchair explorers in the 1890s. The British built Darjeeling as a cool retreat from the hot plains, and the picture was meant to show off the empire’s reach. If you like this kind of travel snapshot, look up the subject “India, 19th century.”

The story of this work

Overview

This view looks down at the town of Darjeeling, established in the early 1800s by the British colonial administration at 6,900 feet above sea level and across the foothills at Kinchinjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, which rises to more than 28,000 feet.

Did you know?

The composition evokes traditions in European landscape painting, not surprising since the photograph was made by Europeans for sale to Europeans and Americans.

Read the full account in the museum source.