[Zouaves, Camp de Châlons] 1857

Gustave Le Gray captured ["Zouaves, Camp de Châlons"] with a photographic print. This image takes us back to France, to the 19th century, a period of significant military campaigns and colonial expansion. At first glance, we see a group of Zouaves, soldiers in the French army, but a closer look reveals the complex identities at play. Zouaves were originally Algerian tribal soldiers, and later, the French army included Zouaves of different European origins. Who are these men? Are they French or Algerian? Are they colonizers or colonized? The image blurs the lines between the traditional representation of military power and the lived realities of identity. The photograph gives us a glimpse into the human aspects of these individuals. We are left to ponder the intersectional identities of these men, and the historical forces that brought them together.