Ruïnes van het Romeins theater te Arles 1862 - 1876

Jean Andrieu captured "Ruïnes van het Romeins theater te Arles" with a stereoscope, a popular device that created a 3D effect from two slightly different images, during a time of burgeoning interest in archaeology and classical antiquity. Stereoscopic images were more than just visual records; they were a form of cultural consumption, bringing distant places and historical sites into the homes of the middle class. Andrieu's photograph invites contemplation on the passage of time, and the rise and fall of civilizations. But it also reflects the power dynamics inherent in the act of viewing. As viewers, we are positioned as detached observers, distanced from the labor and history embedded in these ruins. What stories are buried beneath these stones, and whose voices have been silenced by time and conquest? How do we grapple with the legacies of colonialism and cultural appropriation inherent in our fascination with the past? The ruins become a stage upon which we can reflect on our relationship to history, memory, and power.