Voorstelling van rijen Britse soldaten bij de Oranjerivier 1900

This stereoscopic image shows British soldiers at the Orange River, and was made by an anonymous photographer, and published by Underwood & Underwood. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such images were common in middle-class homes, offering a sense of experiencing faraway places. This image shows a regimented line of soldiers, their weaponry, and alludes to the vastness of South Africa. The cultural references point to the British Empire at its peak, seeking to control territory and resources, often at the expense of local populations. The photograph can be understood through reference to the history of British colonialism, and the social and economic structures that supported it. Researching the archives of publishing houses and photographic collections would give us a richer understanding of how such images shaped public opinion and justified imperial expansion. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.