Vier gezichten op de haven en de omgeving van de haven van Algiers, Algerije before 1893

Jules Gervais-Courtellemont created this work, "Four Views of the Harbor and Surroundings of the Port of Algiers, Algeria", the date is unknown. It resides at the Rijksmuseum. This album page is striking for its geometric arrangement of photographs. Each view of Algiers is framed by a polygon, creating a mosaic effect within the larger composition of the book. The lack of color reduces each scene to its basic structural elements. The interplay between the sharp polygonal frames and the softer, more organic shapes of the landscapes and seascapes introduces a tension. This tension invites us to consider the relationship between the natural world and the human desire to categorize and contain it. The very act of framing, a key element in photography, becomes a subject of scrutiny here. What do these frames include? What do they exclude? How do they shape our understanding of Algiers? Consider how this geometrical approach destabilizes traditional landscape art, which often aims to present an unedited view. By contrast, this page foregrounds the artificiality of representation, reminding us that every image is a construct.