Vier mannen zitten op een boomstam in een nagebouwd Congolees dorp op de Wereldtentoonstelling van Antwerpen in 1894 1894

Charles Bernhoeft made this photograph of four men sitting on a log in 1894 at the Antwerp World Fair. These world fairs were enormous public displays of international culture and technology. In this instance, Bernhoeft captured a constructed Congolese village, where Congolese people were brought to simulate their daily lives for European audiences. This image speaks volumes about the politics of representation and the colonial gaze in late 19th-century Europe. Belgium, under King Leopold II, held the Congo as its personal colony, extracting vast wealth through brutal exploitation. The world fair served to legitimize this colonial project, presenting a romanticized and dehumanizing image of Congolese people. It reinforced a hierarchy, casting Europeans as civilized observers and Congolese as exotic subjects. To truly understand this photograph, we need to delve into archival records, colonial documents, and the voices of Congolese people themselves. By understanding the historical context, we can better grasp the power dynamics at play, and the lasting impact of these representations.