Gezicht op de Porte Saint-Paul te Hyères-les-Palmiers 1896

Étienne Neurdein captured "Gezicht op de Porte Saint-Paul te Hyères-les-Palmiers" using photography, a medium that was then revolutionizing how the world was seen and documented. Neurdein, working in a time of burgeoning colonialism and orientalism, often produced images that, consciously or not, participated in the exoticization of foreign lands and peoples. This image of Hyères-les-Palmiers offers a glimpse into a specific locale, yet it also hints at the broader dynamics of representation and power inherent in the act of photography itself. Consider how the framing of the image—the angle, the light, the specific elements chosen—shapes our understanding of the place. Does it invite us in, or does it maintain a certain distance? What stories might be embedded in the architecture, the shadows, the very air of the scene? These are the kinds of questions we might ask ourselves when looking at Neurdein’s work. As you reflect on this image, consider how photography, as both an art form and a historical document, continues to shape our perceptions of identity, culture, and place.