Bazaar in het Medina van Tunis, links het magazijn van Piperno Père & fils 1860 - 1900

J. André Garrigues captured this image of a bazaar in the Medina of Tunis using photography, a relatively new medium at the time. The photograph presents a layered narrative of cultural exchange and colonial influence. In the foreground, we see a man, presumably local, standing beside a donkey, a traditional mode of transport. Juxtaposed against this scene is the signage for “Piperno Père & fils,” a European business, signaling the intrusion of Western commercial interests into the traditional Tunisian marketplace. This juxtaposition encapsulates the complex dynamics of identity and power during the colonial era, capturing the tension between local customs and the encroaching forces of globalization. This image serves as a poignant reminder of the ways in which personal and collective histories are intertwined with broader socio-political forces.