Maison de la photographie

Essaouira: a gateway from the desert to the ocean

Essaouira is situated in a bay that extends into a long sandy beach opposite a group of small islands. The reddish ramparts of the old town strike an appealing contrast to the white buildings they enclose. These dwellings, with their deep blue shutters and doors, in the Portuguese-Mediterranean style make the city uniquely picturesque. In Roman times, king Juba II, the hellenized king of Mauritania, married to Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra, also took an interest in Essaouira, and its surrounding islands. These were subsequently named the Porpurine Islands, because it was here that the purple dye porphyra, a rare and precious commodity, was extracted from the murex mollusk living in the waters. King Juba set a workshop and made this dye, a symbol of rank and honor, for the togas of Roman patricians, from which the expression ‘born to the purple’ stems. The Portuguese later fortified the city, and named it Mogadouro or. It was in the eighteenth century that an era of true prosperity began for Essaouira, when the Alaouite Sultan, Sidi Mohamed ben Abdallah, and his captive, the French architect Cornut, aware of its possibilities as a port, proceeded to construct harbor facilities and fortifications to protect it. The name of Essaouira comes from the phrase : ‘es souirah’, meaning ‘precious image’, which is the expression Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah is reputes to have used when he was presented with the plans of the new city. Travelers were mainly surprised by the appearance of the Kasbah, with its wide streets intersecting at right angles, like a chessboard, and by the classical elegance of its Admirally Gate, giving access to the port. Sidi Mohamed is described by Count Jean Potocki, who visited the area as a ‘man of genius, especially regarding details’. The sultan welcomed foreigners and granted all sorts of trade concessions that made Essaouira richer as the years passed. The Europeans traded manufactured products for the fabulous riches of Africa, such as gold, ivory, birds’ feathers and spices. At that time 40% of the maritime trade of Morocco took place through Essaouira. In the mid-nineteenth century, Essaouira became Morocco’s premier port, a gateway from the desert to the ocean, welcoming all the caravans coming Sudan.
Essaouira had an interesting community of Jewish people who leaved together with the locals who were mainly “Chleuh”. They were involved directly in the economy of the city. They were mainly jewelers. The relation between the Jews and the locals is mainly based on trade as illustrated in Juifs du Maroc. Fastes et Facettes (La Maison de la Photographie’s library) This selection of photographs exhibited was taken by Garaud in 1920s, a talented French photographer who had his studio of photography in Essaouira. He portrayed some scenes from the souks, streets, gates, veiled women… Bibliography: Juifs du Maroc. Fastes et Facettes. Somogy Editions, Paris, 2002 Melita Vangelatos. The Charm of Moroccan Portal Cities. Cactus Editions, Athens, 2003