Framing the Courtesan: Female Performers and Photography in Late Nineteenth-Century India

Abstract This article connects early photographic practices in India to the social worlds of music, dance, and theater. It argues that the female performer or courtesan, long recognized as the central figure in the evolution of the expressive arts in the nineteenth century, also spurred the development of photography. To explore the identity of one historical figure pictured in an orphaned photograph, the article brings together a number of photographic portraits and postcards made of her. It also traces her appearance in official court records and local histories. This research-intensive, multidisciplinary method shows the value of juxtaposing distinct archives, visual and nonvisual, to complicate the reading of individual images. The project demonstrates how courtesans—as subjects, consumers, and creators of early photography—contributed significantly to photography's flourishing and expansion.