PHOTOGRAPHY IN POSTAL HISTORY

Vol. 1, No. 37 • Spring 2026

Document Analysis

Arnhem, Stationsplein, Netherlands — AGFA advertisement visible on the right

Panama City, Avenida Central — Kodak sign on the corner

Photography in the Memory of Cities: AGFA, Kodak, and the Visual Culture of the Modern World Through Two Postcards from Arnhem and Panama

Arnhem, Netherlands & Panama City, Panama • c. mid-20th century

S ome postcards do more than simply show a city view. They also reflect the spirit of an era, everyday life, technological transformation, and the way people perceived the world around them. Especially when examining urban postcards from the mid-twentieth century, one can discover not only architectural or transportation history, but also the rise of modern visual culture itself. The two postcards presented here — one depicting Stationsplein in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and the other Avenida Central in Panama City — carry a historical significance far beyond that of ordinary tourist souvenirs.

At first glance, the Arnhem postcard presents a clean, modern, and active urban center. Trolleybuses, buses, pedestrians, and functional modernist architecture create the image of a city rebuilt after destruction. Arnhem was one of the Dutch cities heavily damaged during the Second World War, particularly during Operation Market Garden in 1944. In the years that followed, new urban planning ideals emerged across the Netherlands, focusing on functionality, transportation networks, and modern city life. This postcard perfectly captures that atmosphere of reconstruction and renewal. It is not merely an image of a square, but also a visual representation of a continent attempting to redefine itself after the devastation of war.

"Yet the most remarkable element in the photograph is the large AGFA advertisement visible on the right side of the square. The words 'AGFA ROLFILMS CAMERA' symbolize one of the major cultural transformations of the twentieth century."

Yet the most remarkable element in the photograph is the large AGFA advertisement visible on the right side of the square. The words "AGFA ROLFILMS CAMERA" symbolize one of the major cultural transformations of the twentieth century. Photography was no longer limited to professional studios or wealthy enthusiasts. It had become part of ordinary daily life. People were beginning to photograph their travels, families, vacations, and cities. Carrying a camera was becoming a sign of modern living. The presence of such a prominent AGFA advertisement in a public square demonstrates how deeply photography had entered everyday urban culture.

The history of AGFA is closely connected to the development of modern visual culture itself. The company originated in nineteenth-century Germany under the name Aktien-Gesellschaft für Anilin-Fabrikation. Initially founded as a chemical manufacturer, AGFA later became one of Europe's leading producers of photographic films, printing technologies, and camera-related products. During the first half of the twentieth century, the company played a major role in popularizing photography across Europe. AGFA was not simply selling technical equipment; it was promoting a new lifestyle. Its advertisements often depicted modern families, travelers, children, and scenes of urban leisure. Photography was increasingly associated not only with documentation, but also with memory, identity, and personal experience. The AGFA sign in Arnhem quietly reflects this important cultural transformation.

The postcard from Avenida Central in Panama City presents a very different atmosphere. Instead of the orderly modernism of postwar Europe, there is a warmer, denser, and more commercial urban environment. American automobiles, tropical architecture, balconies, storefronts, and street activity create the image of a Latin American city entering the modern age. Panama, particularly because of the Panama Canal, had long been deeply influenced by the economic and cultural presence of the United States. As a result, American consumer culture became highly visible in the city's streets and commercial spaces.

One of the most striking details in the postcard is the large Kodak sign visible on the corner of the street. This seemingly small detail carries enormous historical significance. Kodak was not merely a photography company; it was one of the institutions that shaped the visual memory of the modern world. Founded by George Eastman in 1888, Kodak revolutionized photography by making it accessible to ordinary people. Eastman's famous slogan, "You press the button, we do the rest," marked the beginning of modern amateur photography. People no longer needed advanced technical knowledge to take photographs. Kodak was not simply selling cameras and film — it was promoting an entirely new way of experiencing life. Vacations, family gatherings, urban scenes, and personal memories became moments to be captured and preserved.

The Kodak sign in Panama reflects how this global visual culture expanded far beyond Europe and North America. Photography was becoming universal. The world itself was turning into a place increasingly shaped by images. People were no longer simply living in cities; they were photographing them, collecting them, and transforming them into visual memories through postcards and snapshots. The shops, automobiles, advertisements, and pedestrians visible in the postcard preserve the authentic rhythm of everyday life. This is precisely why such postcards often feel more powerful than artificially prepared philatelic or commemorative items. They contain a sense of natural human activity and genuine urban experience. The scene does not feel staged; it feels alive.

What connects these two postcards is the way they reveal photography becoming part of public space itself. The AGFA and Kodak advertisements are not merely commercial signs. They symbolize modernity, consumer culture, and the growing importance of visual memory in twentieth-century society. Throughout the century, humanity increasingly experienced the world through images. Cities became not only places to live, but also places to photograph, document, and circulate visually.

Today, when looking at the postcards of Arnhem and Panama, one sees more than old streets and forgotten architecture. One also sees the emergence of the modern visual world, the social rise of photography, and humanity's growing desire to preserve everyday life through images. These small pieces of printed cardboard are, in many ways, quiet yet remarkably powerful documents of twentieth-century visual culture.

— ♦ —

RECORD INFORMATION

Title:

Photography in the Memory of Cities: AGFA, Kodak, and the Visual Culture of the Modern World Through Two Postcards from Arnhem and Panama

Category:

Urban Visual Culture / Photographic History

Subcategory:

Street Photography / Advertising Ephemera

Countries:

Netherlands → Netherlands / Panama → Panama

Cities:

Arnhem (Stationsplein) / Panama City (Avenida Central)

Date of use:

c. mid-20th century (post-World War II reconstruction era)

Object Type:

Two urban view postcards (commercial souvenirs)

Postal Features:

No postal markings – commercial postcards, likely unused.

Language:

Dutch, Spanish, English (signage visible)

Material:

Printed paper postcards

Dimensions:

Standard postcard format

Collection Theme:

Arnhem, Stationsplein, Netherlands reconstruction, trolleybuses, Operation Market Garden, AGFA Rolffilms, Panama City, Avenida Central, Kodak signage, American consumer culture, Panama Canal, urban photography, amateur photography, mid-century visual culture, advertising in public space.

Archival Significance:

These two mid-century postcards from Arnhem and Panama City document the integration of photographic advertising (AGFA and Kodak) into urban public space, illustrating how photography became embedded in everyday visual culture and reflecting the post-war reconstruction of Europe alongside the expansion of American consumer culture in Latin America.

RESEARCH NOTE

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

PAGE 37

◀ PREVIOUS HOME NEXT ▶

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.

Research Methodology | How to Cite

© 2026 A. Fevzi ORUÇ. All rights reserved.