A rear-view of the Peishantsuy forts, on the W. coast of Wei-Hai-Wei Possibly 1895

Editor: This is a gelatin-silver print titled "A rear-view of the Peishantsuy forts, on the W. coast of Wei-Hai-Wei" and it's dated around 1895. It's quite striking – almost desolate, the way the fort recedes into the landscape. What story do you think this image is telling? Curator: It’s crucial to consider the socio-political context here. This image likely emerged during or shortly after the First Sino-Japanese War, a period when Western powers and Japan were vying for control over territories like Wei-Hai-Wei. The very act of photographing and documenting these forts by the Ordnance Survey Office reflects an interest in surveying and mapping, crucial tools for asserting colonial power and influence. How does the photograph's composition itself reinforce these power dynamics, do you think? Editor: Perhaps by showing the fort from a "rear view," it subtly undermines the strength and impenetrability one would expect from a military structure? Almost as if highlighting its vulnerability? Curator: Precisely. The "rear-view" perspective and the visible signs of possible disrepair might suggest a weakening of Chinese authority in the face of foreign encroachment. Furthermore, the inclusion of this photograph in a publication serves to disseminate this perceived vulnerability, shaping public opinion and justifying interventionist policies. Who was the intended audience for this type of imagery? Editor: Probably government officials, military strategists, maybe even the general public back home, all receiving a particular view of the situation in Wei-Hai-Wei. Curator: Exactly. Images like this were tools of persuasion, designed to rationalize and normalize colonial ambitions. Editor: That really changes how I see this image. It's no longer just a landscape photograph, but a piece of geopolitical strategy. Thanks for sharing your insights. Curator: Indeed. And it's important to remember how photographs were–and still are–used to shape narratives and legitimize actions on the global stage.