Gezicht op de haven van Bordeaux 1844

This print, "View of the Port of Bordeaux," by A. Beuguelet, captures a bustling scene in what was once France's second-largest port. Note how the artist juxtaposes the grandeur of the tall ship with the ox-drawn carts, the grand architecture of the city with the everyday commerce of the quayside. This image hints at Bordeaux’s complex social fabric, intertwined with its economic activities. Bordeaux's wealth was largely based on the wine trade and, problematically, the transatlantic slave trade. The quayside featured here was built on the site of the old Château Trompette, a symbol of royal power. The image captures a moment of transition, where old power structures are replaced with new ones, driven by commerce and trade. Understanding this print requires us to delve into the social and institutional history of Bordeaux, exploring the archives of its Chamber of Commerce and delving into its fraught colonial history. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.