Avenue of the Banian Trees, Seringham, India

Description

A rare, beautiful example of Linnaeus Tripe concentrating simply on the landscape, this carefully composed image depicts a picturesque avenue of banyan trees, dense with foliage. Nearly 1,000 miles of road in the Salem District of India were lined by these trees, providing travelers with shade and shelter from the country's intense climate. The inherent characteristics of Tripe's paper negative—with its broad effects of light and shade and lack of crisp details—magnifies the impressionistic appearance of a scene filled with filtered sunlight. The abstract patterns of light and shadow lead the viewer's eyes down the centrally positioned road and through the compelling composition.

Provenance

(Harry Lunn, Ltd., New York, NY); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (May 24, 1994)

Avenue of the Banian Trees, Seringham, India

Captain Linnaeus Tripe

1858

Accession Number

1994.18

Medium

salted paper print, albumenized, from calotype negative

Dimensions

Image: 24.6 x 37 cm (9 11/16 x 14 9/16 in.); Matted: 50.8 x 61 cm (20 x 24 in.)

Classification

Photograph

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

The Jane B. Tripp Charitable Lead Annuity Trust