Gezicht op La Porte de Mars te Reims 1870 - 1900

Étienne Neurdein captured this image of the Porte de Mars in Reims sometime between 1855 and 1918 using the albumen print method. As one of the oldest Roman monuments in Northern France, the Porte de Mars stands as a symbol of ancient power and enduring legacy, and Neurdein’s photograph, like much early photography, presents the triumphal arch as a relic of a bygone era. Consider how photography in the 19th century served as a tool for documenting and often idealizing historical and cultural landmarks, reinforcing a particular narrative of Western civilization. The choice to photograph the arch could be seen as an effort to connect the present with a glorified past, evoking feelings of national pride and cultural continuity. But whose past is being glorified? And who gets to claim this history as their own? Neurdein's composition prompts us to reflect on how we engage with history through images. What stories do we tell ourselves about the past, and whose voices are amplified or silenced in the process?