Cloth Merchants, Cashmere

Here two men in turbans sit cross-legged next to bales of cloth. Both men extend an arm toward their clothing bundles, alluding to their profession as "cloth merchants." They lack expression, and are individualized only in reference to their occupation. Although this photograph is embossed with the "Frith's Series" stamp, Francis Frith never actually visited India. It is likely that the image was acquired by his firm to be marketed as part of a series of "worldwide views." Moreover, the framing of the merchants suggests that the photographers may have been William Johnson and William Henderson, who were famous for portraits of this kind.

Cashmere is an old-fashioned spelling of Kashmir, where this photograph was taken. Kashmir is famous for its cashmere wool and pashmina (another kind of soft wool) shawls, both of which continue to be popular products for export.