Een groep Britse soldaten slaapt naast hun geweren nabij Colesberg, 30 december 1900

This photograph shows British soldiers asleep near Colesberg, South Africa, and was produced around 1900 by an anonymous photographer. Stereoscopic images like this were popular at the turn of the century and offered a sense of depth, bringing distant places and events into sharp focus for viewers at home. What are we to make of this image of weary British soldiers? Consider the context: this image was made during the Second Boer War, a conflict driven by British imperial ambitions in southern Africa. It creates meaning through the stark contrast between the vulnerability of the sleeping soldiers and the ever-present threat of violence. This photograph serves as both a record of a specific historical moment and as a carefully constructed piece of propaganda. Historians rely on sources like letters, diaries, and official documents to understand better the complexities of this conflict. By examining the image in the context of its production and reception, we can gain insight into the social and political forces that shaped both the war itself and its representation.