Gezicht op de resten van een ontplofte opslag van fort Adda in Alexandrië before 1885

This is an anonymous engraving that depicts the remnants of an exploded storage facility at Fort Adda in Alexandria. In examining this image, one can’t help but reflect on the themes of power, destruction, and historical narratives, particularly within a colonial context. Fort Adda, situated in Alexandria, Egypt, would have been a site of strategic military importance, embodying the reach and influence of colonial powers in the region. An explosion at a storage facility could speak to political instability and resistance. This image is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict, the fragility of constructed power, and the often-unacknowledged stories of those who lived through these events. Ultimately, the image prompts us to reflect on how historical events, even those captured in seemingly detached visual records, deeply affect individual lives and collective memories, subtly revealing the relationship between those who wield power and the people whose lives are touched by it.