Colonial Negatives

Picturing History and Identity in Morocco

In Colonial Negatives, Patricia Goldsworthy examines the intertwined histories of French, Moroccan Muslim, and Moroccan Jewish photographers in establishing a photography industry in Morocco. She demonstrates how photography in Morocco became linked to French imperialism when Sultan 'Abd al-'Aziz hired French cinematographer Gabriel Veyre as his private photography instructor. 'Abd al-'Aziz saw photography as a tool of political power and control useful in asserting his authority. For the French, photography was a way to control the international perception of their interventions in Morocco. But throughout the colonial era, photography upheld, questioned, and contradicted stereotypes about Moroccan history and society, shaping debates over conquest and rule. Images of colonial violence demonstrated the oppressive nature of French pacification and were used to oppose colonialism. Moroccan Jews established their own studios and captured images depicting historical events overlooked by European photographers. Finally, Colonial Negatives addresses the post-independence reappropriation of colonial imagery and colonial tropes to demonstrate the ongoing role and importance of photography in interpreting and reclaiming Moroccan history.

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