Fascism, Photography, Race, and Femininity: Martin Rikli and the Representation of Italian Colonial Imperatives in Ethiopia

Abstract

What if the camera – so often trusted as an impartial witness – can lie as convincingly as artificial intelligence? Photography’s promise of historical objectivity is tempting to believe, particularly amidst the advancements of modern technology, yet it demands skepticism. Abessinien, a collection of photographs located at George A. Smathers Libraries, compiles images taken at the start of the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. The photographer, Martin Rikli, was a documentarist and ardent Nazi supporter who traveled to Ethiopia between 1935 and 1936 to capture the unfolding historical events for both personal and propagandist intentions. Through a visual analysis of four selected photographs, this study explores the possible impacts, intentions, and implications of the images with attention to racial and gender concerns. Placed within the broader social, cultural, and political climate of the era, the photographs evidence a complex narrative that poses more questions than definitive truths. This research seeks to situate Rikli’s albums within the discourse of Italian colonialism while engaging in the art historical discipline to study the images and explore the limits of photography. Rather than arguing for an objective interpretation, the author presents potential frameworks for understanding Abessinien and attempts to expose the nuanced realities of historical and propagandist photography.