Schepen aan de kade in Keulen, op de achtergrond de Sint-Kunibertkerk 1851 - 1880

This sepia-toned stereograph attributed to PT, shows ships docked in Cologne, with the Sint-Kunibertkerk in the background. Stereographs like this one offered 19th-century viewers a window onto the world. But it was a selective view. The camera's gaze often mirrored the interests and biases of its owner, shaping perceptions of faraway places. Consider the power dynamics at play. Who had the means to travel, to document, to share these images? Whose stories were told, and whose were left out? The Sint-Kunibertkerk, a symbol of religious authority, looms in the background, a reminder of the cultural forces shaping the city and its inhabitants. This seemingly simple photograph invites us to reflect on the complex interplay of power, representation, and identity. How do images shape our understanding of the world, and whose perspectives do they privilege?