Het leger van Lord Roberts (Frederick Sleigh Roberts) trekt op richting Johannesburg 1901

This photograph, "Het leger van Lord Roberts trekt op richting Johannesburg," captures a moment frozen in time by an anonymous photographer using a stereoscopic camera. The sepia tones and the stereoscopic format gives a feeling of depth to the subject matter, creating an immersive visual experience. The composition is structured around the linear progression of troops and horses leading into the distance, punctuated by the floating balloon. The texture, visible in the dusty ground and the rough uniforms, adds a tactile quality to the scene. The photograph serves as a document but also as a study in contrasts: the grounded, earth-bound soldiers versus the ethereal balloon, or the linear march against the chaotic arrangement of figures. These formal elements underscore the instability and complex semiotics inherent in the visual depiction of war and military campaigns. The use of the stereoscopic format enhances the viewer's sense of presence, complicating our understanding of distance and perspective.