Principal and Teachers of Bishop Cotton School, Shimla (recto)
1884
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1884
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a large group of men in dark suits and turbans standing in neat rows on a hillside, with the school building behind them. This isn’t just a school photo—it’s one of the earliest professional photographs taken in India by an Indian photographer. Raja Deen Dayal ran studios in Bombay, Indore, and Hyderabad, making pictures for both British officials and Indian royalty. Most photos from this time were taken by Europeans; his work stands out. Look up more of Raja Deen Dayal (Indian, 1844–1905) to see how he pictured India.
