Weg in de omgeving van Beyrouth, Syrië Possibly 1925 - 1926

This photograph, taken by A.G.A. van Eelde, shows a road near Beirut, Syria. Although undated, the presence of a motor car suggests it was made sometime in the early 20th century. The image presents us with a seemingly mundane scene: a group of figures in western dress alongside a car, against a backdrop of local landscape. But what does it tell us about the complex cultural and political landscape of the time? Syria, including Lebanon, was then under French Mandate, a consequence of the post-Ottoman carve-up by European powers. The figures’ clothing and the car, symbols of western modernity, speak to the colonial presence and its impact on the region. The photograph invites us to consider the politics of representation and the power dynamics inherent in the act of image-making during this period. By exploring archival sources, travelogues, and colonial records, we can contextualize this image within the broader history of colonial encounters and understand its complex social and institutional implications.