“Stop to appreciate this stunning 1863 albumen print of Hyree Lake, a rare glimpse into the untouched grandeur of the Himalayas captured by an adventurous British photographer. Its scale and clarity reveal the ambitious efforts behind early travel photography.”
A vast, still lake stretches across the middle ground of this albumen print, reflecting the soft light of the sky. Jagged, dark mountains rise dramatically from its far shore, their peaks reaching towards a cloudy horizon. The composition draws the eye deep into the landscape, emphasizing the sheer scale and untouched beauty of the Himalayan region. This image, captured by Samuel Bourne during his extensive travels in India, showcases the challenging conditions he faced, hauling heavy photographic equipment through remote terrain. Bourne’s meticulous approach to landscape photography allowed him to document sites like Hyree Lake with a clarity that offers a valuable historical record of these majestic natural environments.
- Artist
- Samuel Bourne
- Date
- 1863
- Medium
- albumen print
- Location
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- [object Object]
- Collection
- Photography
- Culture
- England
- Credit line
- Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The mirror-like reflection of the mountains on the lake's surface.
The texture of the clouds, almost blending with the mountain peaks.
The subtle variations in light and shadow across the water.
The crisp detail of the distant shoreline, despite the vastness.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Hyree Lake. South End of the Lake — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Samuel Bourne
1834–1912 · United Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandA bank clerk who quit his job, sailed to India, and hauled cameras up 18,600-foot Himalayan passes to capture 2,200 images.
Further Works by Bourne
Agra. The Gateway of the Gardens Surrounding the Taj
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Agra. The Taj, the Central of Principal City
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Agra. View of the Taj from a Corner in the Quadrangle
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Agra. View of the Taj from the Garden
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Agra. View of the Taj in Front of Nootkan (The Light of the World), Wife of the Emperor Akbar, View from the River
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
A Village Scene, Near Calcutta
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Delhi. Gateway of Allahood Deen's Palace, Old Delhi
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Delhi. Tomb of the Emperor Shums ooo deen Allomsh, Builder of the Kootub Minar in the Ruins of Old Delhi
1863 · Cleveland Museum of Art
More works to explore
Beyond Bourne: works from the same years.
Same era · 1840s–1870s
The Backgammon Players
Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1840s–1870s
Two Boats in a Storm
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1840s–1870s
Paris Street; Rainy Day
Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1840s–1870s
Alfred Sisley
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1864 · Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection
Same era · 1840s–1870s
A Sketch
Mariano Fortuny Marsal · 1862 · Hispanic Society of America
Same era · 1840s–1870s
Fish (Still Life)
Édouard Manet · 1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1840s–1870s
Mount Madison from the Androscoggin River
William Hart · 1862
Same era · 1840s–1870s
Peasants Bringing Home a Calf Born in the Fields
Jean-François Millet · 1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1840s–1870s
Rêverie (Portrait of Gabrielle Borreau)
Gustave Courbet · 1862 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1840s–1870s
A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers (Madame Paul Valpinçon?)
Edgar Degas · 1865 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1840s–1870s
The Banks of the Marne in Winter
Camille Pissarro · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1840s–1870s
The Beach at Sainte-Adresse
Claude Monet · 1867 · Art Institute of Chicago