Gezicht op de haven van Oran, Algerije before 1893

Jules Gervais-Courtellemont created this photogravure titled "Gezicht op de haven van Oran, Algerije" at an unknown date. The print is part of a bound travel book. It draws the eye with its grayscale rendering of a bustling harbor. The composition invites us to consider the relationships between text and image, and to investigate how they influence our understanding. The structure of the book, with its careful arrangement of visual and textual elements, echoes broader colonial narratives. It offers a controlled, curated view of Oran. The artist positions the viewer as a detached observer, reinforcing a dynamic of looking that suggests power and distance. The book’s materiality—its paper, binding, and print quality—further contributes to its meaning. It functions not just as a record of a place, but as a carefully constructed object embodying cultural and philosophical discourses.