Views of Algeria, circa 1860

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Summary

Title:

Views of Algeria

Dates:

circa 1860

Abstract:

Collection of views showing native and colonial structures and habitation in provincial Algeria.

Extent:

8.0 photographic prints

Language:

Collection material is in French

Preferred citation:

Views of Algeria, circa 1860, Getty Research Institute, Research Library, Accession no. 93.R.122

http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa93r122

Background

Scope and content:

This collection of mounted and captioned black and white albumen photographs features exterior views of French colonial Algeria. Two views show the oasis town of Laghouat, featuring mud brick walls, houses, mosques in the town and palm trees in the oasis; one image depicts a group of Arabs meeting at the oasis. A view of an Arab camp near Boughari shows tents beneath a huge rock formation. The effects of colonialism on the landscape and on cities is visible in several images: one shows a French house along a stream in the Gorge de la Chiffa, a popular tourist destination; a panoramic view of Tlemcen depicts the countryside and the city, including both French buildings and the minaret of the Great Mosque; another panoramic view illustrates the small colonial settlement scattered around the hills at Miliana.

Five mounts have the blindstamp: Alary & Geiser, Alger. The collection includes one print captioned "Tlemcen" and "Bois de Boulogne" in different hands; the photographer and actual site are unknown. The captions are transcribed from the original mounts.

Arrangement

No discernible original order; arranged by cataloger.

Biographical / historical:

Alary & Geiser was a photographic firm of long standing in Algiers. The business was possibly begun by Lucien-Jacob Geiser (1810-1852), an ébeniste by trade, who immigrated to Algeria from Switzerland with his wife Julie and three sons in 1850. Jean-Baptiste Antoine Alary (1810-c. 1867), an early daguerreotypist, probably became involved with the business after the death of Geiser père. Eventually the youngest Geiser son, Jean-Théophile (1848-1923) became involved with the business, running it into the 1920s.

Acquisition information:

Acquired in 1993.

Processing information:

Processed and cataloged by Beth Guynn; finding aid encoded by Holly Larson with grant funding from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR).

Physical location:

Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Architecture, Colonial--Algeria
Vernacular architecture--Algeria
Photographic prints
Photographs, Original--19th century

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Finding aid prepared by Beth Guynn
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2015-04-09T14:40-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:: Open for use by qualified researchers.
Terms of access:: Contact Library Rights and Reproductions.