Zeil- en stoomschepen te Port Said 1885 - 1887

Editor: This photograph, taken by C. & G. Zangaki between 1885 and 1887, depicts “Zeil- en stoomschepen te Port Said” - sailing and steam ships at Port Said. It's an albumen print currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. I’m immediately struck by the sepia tone and how it evokes a sense of stillness despite the busy port scene. What do you see in this piece, Professor? Curator: I see a crossroads, literally. Port Said was, and still is, a crucial point connecting East and West. The ships themselves become potent symbols. We have sailing vessels, emblems of a past reliant on natural forces, juxtaposed with steamships, harbingers of industrial progress. Look closely; the image captures a transitional moment, a tension between tradition and modernity playing out on the world stage. Editor: That's a great point. The composition itself almost emphasizes that tension, with the older sailing ships slightly further back and the steamships dominating the foreground. Is that intentional, do you think? Curator: Precisely. And consider the location: Egypt. The Suez Canal, a relatively recent engineering marvel at this time, further amplifies the theme. How might viewers in the West interpret these signs and symbols compared to those in Egypt, do you think? Consider this through an imperial lens and you might reveal an additional cultural complexity and reading of the work. Editor: It definitely gives it a colonial overtone. Viewing it now, knowing that context, I see not just a busy port, but a stage for global power dynamics being physically represented. Curator: Exactly. This is a valuable point that allows us to reconsider cultural narratives around development. So much is present, and presented, in an image. Editor: This photo speaks volumes about a pivotal time in history, and how symbols visually tell stories. I hadn’t considered all of that. Thanks so much!