Gezicht op een fort in Mahikeng, Zuid-Afrika 1901

This anonymous stereograph shows a limestone fort in Mahikeng, South Africa. It was made around 1900 and published by Underwood & Underwood. Stereographs like this one were mass-produced for entertainment and education. The double image, when viewed through a stereoscope, created a 3D effect, bringing distant places and events into people's homes. This particular image likely depicts fortifications from the Siege of Mafeking during the Second Boer War. The war itself was a conflict over land and resources between the British Empire and the Boers, descendants of Dutch settlers. Images like this played a role in shaping public opinion about the war, often portraying it as a heroic struggle. Understanding this image requires us to investigate the history of colonialism, the development of photography, and the business of visual media. To understand this image better, you might research the history of the Boer War, or the role of stereographs in shaping public opinion. By understanding the historical context, we can begin to see the complex politics embedded in this seemingly simple photograph.