Franse troepen bij de tweede IJzeren Poort in de Bibans in Algerije 1841

Adrien Dauzats created this print, "French Troops at the Second Iron Gate in the Bibans in Algeria," sometime in the 19th century. It depicts a regiment of French soldiers passing through a mountain pass in Algeria. The image invokes the politics of French Imperialism. France invaded Algeria in 1830, beginning a long and brutal occupation. Algeria became a colony of France, a status it retained until 1962. The image can be understood in the context of other artworks which served to justify colonial expansion. The soldiers are dwarfed by the landscape, suggesting the scale of the task of controlling the territory. Studying such imagery can help us understand the social and cultural attitudes that enabled colonialism. Through careful examination of historical records, we can develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between art and power.