Life — May 28, 1903 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page contains a black and white photograph labeled "ALAS, POOR DE LESSEPS!" The image appears to show a deteriorating statue or monument in an overgrown, neglected state, with vegetation and decay surrounding it. The caption references Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer famous for designing the Suez Canal. The "alas, poor" phrasing echoes Shakespeare's *Hamlet*, suggesting a commentary on fallen greatness or decline. This likely refers to de Lesseps's failed attempt to build the Panama Canal in the 1880s—a project that cost thousands of lives and resulted in financial disaster and scandal. The photograph's focus on decay and abandonment emphasizes the ruin of his reputation and legacy following this catastrophic failure.