Gezicht op Port Said before 1894

C. and G. Zangaki captured this photograph, titled "Gezicht op Port Said," using a monochromatic palette. The composition is dominated by horizontal lines, establishing a clear division between the sky, the city, and the foreground, which creates a sense of depth and order. The formal structure reflects a semiotic system, the buildings and ships act as signs, symbolizing progress and civilization. The aerial perspective flattens the image, and is reminiscent of a cartographic survey, reinforcing the photograph's function as a record of urban development. The texture of the print, with its subtle gradations of tone, adds a tactile quality to the scene. This invites the viewer to consider the materiality of the photograph itself as a medium that not only represents reality but also constructs it. The photograph challenges fixed notions of representation and engages with new ways of thinking about space.