Gezicht op de Mud Hall Gevangenis in Pretoria waar de Britse krijgsgevangenen werden vastgehouden 1901

This stereograph, made around the turn of the 20th century, shows the Mud Hall prison in Pretoria, where British officers were held during the Second Boer War. The anonymous photographer has used a process that was popular at the time, creating two nearly identical images that, when viewed through a stereoscope, give the illusion of three-dimensionality. The print’s material qualities – its small size and mass-produced nature – speak to the broader social context of the time. Stereographs were a form of mass media, offering people a window onto distant lands and events. The image itself, with its stark depiction of the prison, raises questions about labor, class, and the human cost of conflict. The fences, tents, and rough terrain speak to the amount of work involved in maintaining such a facility, and the conditions endured by those imprisoned within. By considering the materials and making of this stereograph, we can gain a deeper understanding of its historical and cultural significance, challenging traditional distinctions between art, craft, and documentation.