117-Year-Old Color Postcards Reveal Everyday Life in Tunisia at the Turn of the Century

A street in Kairwan

A street in Kairwan

These gorgeous color postcards of Tunisia, showing its vibrant streets and spectacular architecture, are part of The Library of Congress' Photochrom collection. Produced in 1899, the postcards were printed using the popular Photochrom technique invented by a Swiss printer in the 1880s. This process for producing colorized images from black and white negatives was especially popular prior to color photography, and allows a glimpse inside Tunisian culture at the turn of the 20th century.

In order to obtain the final color image, lithographic limestone was first coated with light-sensitive chemicals. After exposure to sunlight for several hours, with the negative on top, a fixed photographic image remained on the stone. Subsequent stones for each color tone in the image—based on the photographer's memory—were created and used to print the finished, color postcard. In most cases 10 to 15 stones were used in order to create the range of colors, resulting in color images with quality superior to hand coloring.

As a French protectorate at the time, the Tunisia postcards demonstrate daily life a little under 10 years into colonization, which lasted until the Tunisian independence of 1956. The postcards show touches of French influence, with the nearly finished Cathedral of St. Louis appearing in the background of one image. This Roman Catholic cathedral, built in a Byzantine-Moorish style, required the permission of the Bey of Tunis for the French console to begin construction.

Other images show the opulent quarters of the Tunisian monarchy, a stark contrast to the pared down, yet vibrant, street life depicted. People gather at markets and cafes or attend mosque. Bedouin nomads set up camp and a traveling cook sells his wares on the street. Preserved through time, these souvenirs leave us with a lasting memory of Tunisia on the brink of the 20th century.

A market in Kairwan

A market in Kairwan

Souc-el-Trouk, Tunis

Souc-el-Trouk, Tunis

A snake charmer puts on a performance in Tunis

A snake charmer puts on a performance in Tunis

Leaving a mosque, Tunis

Leaving a mosque, Tunis

La Porte Française, Tunis

La Porte Française, Tunis

A traveling cook, Kairwan

A traveling cook, Kairwan

A group before Bab Aleona, Tunis

A group before Bab Aleona, Tunis

The waterfront of Sousse

The waterfront of Sousse

Bedchamber of the late Bey of Tunis, Kasr-el-Said

Bedchamber of the late Bey of Tunis, Kasr-el-Said

Private drawing room, Kasr-el-Said

Private drawing room, Kasr-el-Said

Cathedral of St. Louis, Carthage

Cathedral of St. Louis, Carthage

Bab Suika-Suker Square, Tunis

Bab Suika-Suker Square, Tunis

Kasbah market, Tunis

Kasbah market, Tunis

A bazaar in Tunis

A bazaar in Tunis

A family of Bedouin beggars, Tunis

A family of Bedouin beggars, Tunis

A camp of nomads, Tunis

A camp of nomads, Tunis

Arabs in Tunis

Arabs in Tunis

A Bedouin woman, Tunis

A Bedouin woman, Tunis

via [Mashable]

All images via The Library of Congress.

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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