Parade van soldaten before 1899

This photograph of a military parade comes to us from the lens of Alexandre, a French photographer active between 1855 and 1925. As photography gained prominence in late 19th-century France, it challenged traditional artistic norms. Alexandre's work, presented here alongside an essay that questions whether photography can even be considered art, captures a moment in time, but also reflects the institutional debates surrounding its artistic merit. The image presents a regiment of soldiers, receding into the distance along a winding path. Military parades were common spectacles, displays of national pride and strength. Yet, Alexandre's photograph does more than simply document such an event. In choosing to focus on the collective, the photograph raises questions about the individual versus the mass, and the spectacle of military power. To truly understand this image, a historian would consider the social and political climate of France during Alexandre's time, perhaps looking into the role of the military and its representation in popular culture. Only through these resources can we grasp the full meaning of art as something that is contingent on social and institutional context.