Great Pagoda, Tanjore, Samuel Bourne, c. 1870
Samuel Bourne, portraitSamuel BourneBritish, 1834–1912

Great Pagoda, Tanjore

c. 1870 · Photograph

Can I see it?

Not on view at present

Where is “Great Pagoda, Tanjore” now? Collection: Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.

Harvard Art Museums

Cambridge, United States

It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.

Checked
In this state since
Source
The museum

About the work

Samuel Bourne no. 2047. The rear of the great Siva temple Rajarajeshwara (listed here as "pagoda" in the inscription) of Thanjuvur (Tanjore) from the northwest. Through its central placement and close framing of massive granite tower of this Chola Dynasty temple (standing over 200 ft. in height), the photograph communicates the monumentality and grandeur of the structure. The scale is further emphasized by the inclusion of two white-clad figures in the foreground who are dwarfed by the monument. A narrow section of the enclosure, replete with figural sculpture arranged in tier is visible in the foreground in the lower left corner of the composition.

Harvard Art Museums

Details

Accession number
2006.263

In the catalog

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