Arrival in Kong of New French West Africa Governor Louis-gustave Binger in 1892, in Northern Present Day Côte D'ivoire 1892

Edouard Riou's lithograph depicts the 1892 arrival of the new French West Africa Governor, Louis-Gustave Binger, in Kong, Côte D'ivoire. The ox, bearing Binger, looms large as a potent symbol of authority. The ox's historical connection to power stretches back millennia. In ancient Egypt, the Apis bull was worshiped as a symbol of strength, and the Greeks associated oxen with Zeus. This motif resurfaces throughout history, from the Roman Empire, where oxen pulled triumphal chariots, to European Renaissance art, where they symbolized patient labor and divine sacrifice. Here, the ox is employed to project an image of imposing authority and a show of French dominance. Yet, the symbol is not static; it is a palimpsest of cultural meanings and collective memories, and it carries the emotional weight of both reverence and subjugation. The image engages viewers on a subconscious level by tapping into deep-seated associations with power, ritual, and sacrifice. Its cyclical progression highlights how symbols evolve, adapting and accruing new layers of meaning across time.