Berglandschap bij de militaire weg in Georgië c. 1890 - 1900

Dimitri Ivanovitch Ermakov captured this photograph of a mountain landscape near the Georgian Military Road sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It presents a seemingly objective view of the Caucasus Mountains. Yet, consider the context: this road was a critical artery for the Russian Empire, enabling military control over the Caucasus. Ermakov, employed by the Russian army, wasn’t just documenting scenery. His photographs served a political purpose, mapping and documenting the landscape for imperial administration. The very act of photographing and naming these sites was a form of asserting dominance. We might think about institutions such as the military and the Russian Geographical Society and the demand they placed on photography. To fully understand this image, we need to explore archives, maps, and historical records. Only then can we grasp the complex interplay between art, power, and the construction of national identity in this contested region.