Kolkata: ‘Bourne and Shepherd’ , world’s oldest photo studio in Kolkata, instituted by famed British photographers has closed on Sunday. The iconic studio, which was set up around 1840 by British photographers Samuel Bourne and Charles shepherd, was the most successful commercial photography studio in the 19th and early 20th century India.
This week the studio finally gave in to the demands of a new era as it shut down its gate after an illustrious 176 years of history. A heritage building in the heart of Kolkata the studio was ravaged in a major fire 25 years ago that destroyed its impressive collection of rare photographs. It had agencies across India and even in London and Paris too. Some of the most iconic photographs of the 19th century India were taken by this studio.