Straat in Berrouaghia (Algerije), gezien vanaf het spoorwegstation Possibly 1895

This photograph of a street in Berrouaghia, Algeria, was taken by Marotte, using a process that was still relatively new at the time: chemical photography. Consider the weight of the image. The sepia tones give it a delicate, antique feel, but the process involved a lot of labour. Each print was unique, crafted through careful exposure and development. This highlights the hand of the photographer, a skilled technician as much as an artist. Photographs like this also raise questions about the bigger picture, so to speak. Who was the image for? What was its purpose? Was it tourism, documentation, or something else? And how does the act of taking and possessing such an image relate to colonial power structures? By considering these questions, we can appreciate the photograph not just as a pretty picture, but as a complex object embedded in a specific time and place. It challenges us to think about the role of materials, making, and context in shaping our understanding of the world.