Zouaves 1855

Editor: This is "Zouaves," a photograph from 1855 by Roger Fenton. It depicts two soldiers, their clothes suggesting a North African or Middle Eastern influence, against what seems to be a sparsely furnished backdrop. There’s a somber stillness to the scene; the light feels subdued, and even though they are interacting, they both look somehow very lonely. What kind of context would illuminate our viewing? Curator: Fenton’s images of the Crimean War are significant, and this one especially, in that it hints at the constructed narratives of war itself. Note the studio-like setting; despite its title referencing the Zouave regiments associated with French colonial forces, this image seems less about documenting reality and more about crafting an image. How do you see the framing contributing to this effect? Editor: It feels performative. Like they're on a stage. It’s striking that it is supposed to represent something immediate, like war, yet it is entirely staged. How would viewers at the time perceive this tension, or even recognize it? Curator: Good question! Think about the rise of photojournalism. Early photography was expensive, technically challenging, and controlled. The war was distant for most Britons, their understanding shaped by controlled imagery. So, these images functioned as a kind of symbolic representation more than documentary truth. And who gets to tell the story? Editor: So it is both of its time, and a knowing commentary on how war is mediated. That gives the soldiers, and us, more agency in viewing than I first thought. Curator: Precisely! Seeing art through its historical conditions reveals so much about not only its creation but its continued significance. It prompts questions: What narratives are presented, and whose voices are missing?