Monday 11th Movember: Tlemcen, Algeria

Pronouced Tilimsan, Tlemcen is in northwestern Algeria. During colonial rule it became a popular place for the French settlers to visit on vacation and, adapting to this new urbanity, the city became extremely cosmopolitan "with a unique outlook on art and culture". Here we have a Frenchman who seems however, judging by the enormous sword at his side, not to be on holiday. Indeed, patterned borders on cabinet cards like this often indicate that the sitter has died - they are memorial photographs. Hence the flowers. Or sometimes they are a celebration of some kind. In this instance we will never know quite what the border signifies.

Cabinet photograph, N Jouve & ses fils, Tlemcen, Algeria.