Gezicht op de Hassan Pasha moskee in Oran, Algerije before 1893

Jules Gervais-Courtellemont created this artwork, “Gezicht op de Hassan Pasha moskee in Oran, Algerije,” during an unknown year, using an unknown medium. The sepia tones and the texture of the printing paper give this image a nostalgic feel. The composition is structured around the mosque, which dominates the midground. The artist uses a combination of architectural precision and softer, atmospheric effects to render the scene. The photograph acts as a cultural signifier, documenting a specific moment in the colonial history of Algeria through a Western lens. The scene evokes ideas related to Orientalism, where the depiction of North Africa is framed within European aesthetic and ideological conventions. The photograph can be seen as a form of visual taxonomy, categorizing and presenting a foreign culture to a Western audience. Consider how the artist's choice of perspective influences the way the viewer engages with the subject, emphasizing themes of observation, documentation, and the cultural gaze. The work functions as a site where historical, cultural, and artistic discourses intersect, prompting an ongoing dialogue about representation and perception.