Two rare French photo albums from 1911–1919 document Morocco during the French invasion, capturing military movements, colonial rule, and local landmarks. Despite their colonial perspective, the images unintentionally preserve Moroccan resilience and cultural vitality. Two rare French photo albums documenting Morocco during the French invasion between 1911 and 1919 have been brought into the spotlight. The collection captures the movements of an officer from the Fez Column who served in the first Bureau des Renseignements in Fez—a French colonial intelligence office designed to maintain control over the region and suppress resistance to French rule. In an independent study led by Peter Tarjanyi, Visiting Assistant Professor of French & Francophone Studies at Middlebury College, the captions of the photographs were translated and analyzed. Compiled by Maurice Bernard, an officer of the Fez Column, the albums provide a visual record of Morocco during this colonial period, offering insights into military occupation, resistance, and local culture. The first and more extensive album documents the French troops of the Fez Column traveling along the Bou Regreg and Oued Beth rivers from Rabat. It includes photographs of French military camps near Moulay Idris Zerhoun and Sefrou, as well as moments of surrender where Moroccan chiefs submitted to French officers. Various scenes capture the movements of the French cavalry and infantry, along with military parades and reviews featuring high-ranking officers. More than thirty images depict a military parade outside the walls of the Fez Medina, attended by Sultan Moulay Abdelhafid, his suite, Moroccan dignitaries, and French troops. Beyond the military focus, the album also highlights Fez's historical landmarks, featuring the city's famous gates, including Bab Guissa, the Karaouine Mosque, the Sultan's Palace, and the madrasas Bou Inania and Saffarin. Other images showcase the Bou Jeloud Gardens, mills, bridges, terraces, bastions, and open-air pottery workshops. Some photographs even document a ruined street in the Fez Mellah (Jewish quarter) following the April 1912 Fez riots, a violent uprising against the newly established French protectorate. The neighboring city of Meknes also appears in the collection, with panoramic views of its streets, Bab Mansour, the arsenal and cannons, the souk, and the inner courtyard of the Bureau Arabe in Meknes. The album extends beyond Fez and Meknes to include images of rural Morocco, with depictions of Beni Ammar, Moulay Idris Zerhoun, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, and Rabat. Over thirty images capture the Sultan al-Tolba celebration in Moulay Idris Zerhoun in July 1915. The second album follows Bernard's posting to Mogador (Essaouira) after 1911, where he served at the Bureau des Renseignements. The photographs depict Essaouira's beaches, the Portuguese fortress, bustling markets, and the daily life of the fishing communities. Scenes from the fondouqs (caravanserais) illustrate the commercial activity of the city, while portraits of Bernard's servants, Aisha and Fatima, and a woman, believed to be his wife, provide a glimpse into personal aspects of colonial life. The album also captures Bernard's automobile journeys south and east of Mogador in May 1918 and August 1919, including rare images of the village of Imi n'Tlit, where locals are seen encountering a car for the first time. According to Tarjanyi, these albums «portray Moroccan landmarks and people through a colonial lens, emphasizing exoticism and French superiority». However, he also notes that they «inadvertently preserve traces of Moroccan resilience and cultural vitality».
