Vanuatu, an archipelago under tension. First photographs (1885–1895) from the collections of the Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac Museum

37 quai Branly, 75007 Paris, France

At the end of the 19th century, French and British powers disputed sovereignty over the New Hebrides archipelago, future Vanuatu, near New Caledonia. This colonial rivalry, fueled by religious missions and commercial interests, led to a unique regime of co-administration: a Franco-British condominium (1906–1980) until independence. Composed of albums and prints inherited from colonial…