Roma's (gitanos) bij rotswoningen in Granada before 1898

Rafael Garzón created this photograph of Roma people by rock dwellings in Granada, Spain, at the end of the 19th century. This image encapsulates the visual codes of the period, reflecting both the exoticism and marginalization experienced by the Romani people. Consider how the framing, which highlights the dwellings carved into the rocks, suggests a sense of otherness and the historical associations that the majority culture made between the Roma people and a nomadic lifestyle. The image may be interpreted as conservative, perpetuating stereotypes. However, it also provides insight into the social conditions that shaped the Romani community's living arrangements, their adaptation to geographical constraints, and the economic structures that influenced their marginalized position within Spanish society. As historians, we use resources like census data, ethnographic studies, and cultural histories to understand the complex layers of meaning embedded in this image. This photograph, therefore, becomes a lens through which to examine the politics of imagery and its role in shaping social perceptions.