Taj Mahal, Back View of the Rest-House, with Figure (c. 1858–1862): Art, History and Details

Taj Mahal, Back View of the Rest-House, with Figure (c. 1858–1862) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Dr. John Murray (Scottish, 1809–1898).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Although Dr. John Murray enjoyed a distinguished medical career as a surgeon, administrator, and leader in the fight against cholera, he is now best known for his superb paper negative photographs of India. Having lived near the Taj Mahal in the city of Agra for 20 years, Dr. Murray took great interest in the monument, photographing it from numerous perspectives and under varying light conditions. In this print, he chose an elevated viewpoint to compose an intriguing rendering of the Rest-House. The paper negative was waxed before sensitizing, improving its translucency and allowing the photographer to render his architectural subject matter in broad areas of light and dark, emphasizing the building's bold geometric forms. The surrounding, picturesque landscape adds both visual interest and complexity to the composition. Seated figures in the foreground provide an indication of scale and the sense of wonder that might be experienced in the presence of this vast monument.

Object facts

• Title: Taj Mahal, Back View of the Rest-House, with Figure
• Date: c. 1858–1862
• Creator attribution: Dr. John Murray (Scottish, 1809–1898)
• Culture: England, 19th century
• Type: Photograph
• Technique: wax paper negative and albumen print
• Dimensions: Image: 39.7 x 44.8 cm (15 5/8 x 17 5/8 in.); Paper: 40.5 x 44.8 cm (15 15/16 x 17 5/8 in.); Matted: 55.9 x 66 cm (22 x 26 in.)
• Collection: PH - British 19th Century
• Department: Photography
• Accession number: 1999.215

Collection credit

John L. Severance Fund

Further reading listed by the museum

• Cleveland Museum of Art, “Cleveland Museum of Art Acquires Rare Chinese Paintings, Baroque Porcelain Plaque and Other New Acquisitions Exhibited with Hanging Scrolls,” December 20, 1999, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.