Grote moskee van Kairouan 1860 - 1900

This is a photograph of the Great Mosque of Kairouan by Albert, captured in a sepia tone, which flattens the architecture into a study of light and shadow. The rhythmic repetition of arches creates a visual cadence that draws the eye across the structure. Notice how the linear arrangement of the columns and arches forms a structuralist grid, a network of signs pointing beyond themselves. This grid isn't merely decorative; it invites us to decode the cultural and philosophical underpinnings of Islamic architecture, to look at the semiotic system of signs and what they represent. The play of light across the textured stone destabilizes any fixed meaning, suggesting instead an evolving interpretation. The monumentality of the mosque, framed by Albert’s lens, prompts us to consider how architectural forms embody and communicate power, spirituality, and cultural identity.