Vue de l'Etablissement des Messageries Impériales 1866

Emile Gsell made this albumen silver print, "Vue de l'Etablissement des Messageries Impériales," whose exact date is unknown. The photograph presents a tableau of Saigon's port, meticulously composed along a horizontal axis. The tonal range, primarily in sepia, articulates the scene’s depth, guiding the eye from the foreground's detailed dock to the distant, ghostly ships and buildings. The juxtaposition of organic and rigid forms—the chaotic arrangement of dock materials versus the structured architecture—suggests a narrative about colonial ambition. Consider how the photograph’s semiotic structure presents Saigon. The imposing ships and the 'Messageries Impériales' building function as signifiers of French power and modernity. Meanwhile, the raw, almost disordered, foreground hints at the disruptive force of colonialism on the local landscape. The albumen print, with its unique texture and tonal qualities, not only captures a moment in time, but also participates in the colonial project. The print serves as both a document and a statement, reflecting a complex interplay between representation and power.