Gewonde Britse soldaat wordt naar een veldhospitaal gebracht, nabij de Modderrivier 1900

This is a stereoscopic image of a wounded British soldier being carried to a field hospital near the Modder River. It was made by an anonymous photographer around 1900. This image provides a glimpse into the harsh realities of colonial warfare in South Africa, where the British Empire fought against the Boers. The photograph is an exercise in the banality of war and an insight into the way that the Empire and the British army sought to represent themselves. The wounded soldier, a casualty of imperial ambition, is carried by his comrades. The image prompts us to reflect on the human cost of geopolitical conflicts, and the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. What does it mean to be injured in a land that is not your own, fighting a battle for a country that is also not your own? It captures a moment of vulnerability amidst the larger narrative of colonial expansion.