Geënsceneerde voorstelling van een cavalerieregiment van het Britse leger dat in een trein gaat in Zuid-Afrika 1900

This stereograph, made around 1901 by Underwood & Underwood, captures the 10th Hussars regiment entraining in South Africa. A stereograph is made using photography, a process that relies on the manipulation of light and chemistry to create an image on paper. The image is a window into the British Empire at its height, showing the logistics involved in colonial warfare. Notice the provisional ramps, constructed of timber, to guide the horses into the train cars. The scene speaks volumes about labor, politics, and consumption. Transporting troops and horses across continents required a vast infrastructure and complex supply chain. The repetitive, regimented activity hints at the massive effort required to fuel this colonial project. Looking at this unassuming stereograph, we can appreciate how deeply intertwined material processes are with social and political realities. It challenges any rigid separation between art and document, urging us to consider the broader context of its creation and consumption.