Scope and Content of Collection

The album of 108 photographs (70 gelatin silver, 38 albumen) taken mostly by an amateur photographer documents various sites in or neighboring the Sahara, featuring the major cities of Algeria including Oran, Tlemcen, Algiers, and Constantine, as well as the desert oases of Taghit, Biskra, and Beni Abbes. Particularly in the more remote regions, the photographs depict the daily life of the indigenous peoples of the area, including Berbers, Jews, Muslims, and Kabyles, as well as a few Moroccans. Numerous images of soldiers from the French military, both French and Algerian, highlight the occupation that was occuring during the early 20th century. There are images of natural sites, such as landscapes, palm groves, and oases, as well as architecture, tombs, mosques, and desert dwellings. The final portion of the album contains both studio and outdoor portraits of soldiers, prostitutes, dancers, and indigenous peoples. Thirty-eight of these are by two or more unidentified commercial photographers.

Arrangement

Arranged in a single series:
Series I. Souvenir du Sahara, 1901-1904.