This photograph recorded in 1983 shows the contrast between mighty technology, the steam locomotive, and the transcendent aesthetic of the Taj Mahal, with its light-reflecting surface.  The steam engine, once an important symbol of Indian national culture, is now a thing of the past.  So in addition to staging a powerful rhetoric, McCurry’s photograph captures a lost moment in culture.  Even the tracks near the Taj Mahal have now been removed.  The character of McCurry’s work then lies in the power of its record and its rhetoric.  The photograph of engine set against architectural splendor holds fast an idea, a way of thinking about contrast and culture that can be carried forward to other images in other times.

Available Print Sizes:  11 x 14, 16 x 20, 20 x 24 and 30 x 40

Print Type:  Cibachrome