Grande Pagode - Tour Nord du 2e Etage 1866

Émile Gsell made this albumen silver print, "Grande Pagode - Tour Nord du 2e Etage," in the late 19th century. It depicts a temple in Angkor, Cambodia. As a commercial photographer, Gsell documented Southeast Asia under French colonial rule. This image, like many others, reflects the Orientalist perspective prevalent at the time. The grand pagoda is presented as an exotic ruin, emphasizing its otherness and distance from Western culture. The photograph participates in the colonial project by framing Cambodian heritage as something to be observed and studied, rather than as a living, evolving culture. The French inscription reinforces this dynamic, as the image was intended for distribution in Europe. To fully understand this work, we must consult historical archives, travelogues, and postcolonial critiques. In doing so, we can better recognize the power dynamics at play in the representation and interpretation of cultural heritage.