Tangkoo Fort After Its Capture, Showing the French and English Entrance, August 10, 1860 1860

Felice Beato created this albumen print, “Tangkoo Fort After Its Capture,” on August 10, 1860. The sepia tones evoke a sense of desolation, with the ruined fort stretching across the horizon. The composition is divided into a sharp, almost brutal, symmetry. The destroyed entrance sits slightly off-center, yet the mirrored reflections in the water push the eye towards a vanishing point. The rough, tactile quality of the earth in the foreground contrasts with the smooth, reflective water, highlighting the physical impact of the battle. Beato’s strategic use of the diptych emphasizes the stark reality of war. The ruined fort becomes a signifier of the collapse of power structures, forcing viewers to confront the consequences of military conflict. This formal arrangement challenges traditional heroic depictions of war, presenting instead a landscape of defeat. The photograph’s composition functions as a discourse on the semiotics of war, revealing a scene stripped bare of glory.