Artwork
Buddhist Temple, Kalani
Buddhist Temple, Kalani is a photography by the Impressionist artist Scowen & Co.. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Buddhist Temple, Kalani is a 19th-century photograph depicting a revered Buddhist site in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The image captures a prominent tree on a stone terrace, accompanied by smaller shrines and robed figures.
Subject & Meaning
The tree is believed to be the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig tree planted in 288 BC from a cutting of the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment, making it a highly sacred relic in Sri Lankan Buddhism.
Technique & Style
Captured by British photographers Scowen & Co., the photograph reflects a blend of colonial documentary intent and respectful representation of sacred spaces, characteristic of 19th-century colonial-era photography.
History & Provenance
Taken during Scowen & Co.'s 19th-century expedition to Sri Lanka, the photograph is part of a collection documenting the island's sacred sites, influenced by both colonial curiosity and a degree of reverence for the subjects.
Artist & collection
