Gezicht op Èze 1903

This photograph captures Èze, a medieval village in the South of France. Taken by Delizy, we don’t know much about the artist, but the image itself speaks volumes about the cultural gaze on the region. In the 19th century, the French Riviera became a playground for the European elite, a space of leisure and supposed escape. But for whom was it an escape? The very idea of the ‘Riviera’ romanticized the landscape, often obscuring the lives and labor of local populations. Delizy's photograph, with its washed-out tones and distant perspective, participates in this tradition. The village, perched atop the hill, seems almost like a mirage, separate from the viewer. The winding road hints at accessibility, but the overall impression is one of distance. What stories remain untold in this carefully framed view? How might we re-imagine this landscape, centering the narratives of those who lived and worked there?