Photographic works represent a hitherto little-known facet of Marcel van Eeden's oeuvre.

With them, the internationally renowned artist builds on his multi-layered exploration of history and its perception and interpretation, which has so far been conceptually realised primarily in the field of drawing. 

The group of works presented in the publication, "The Secret Emperor", was developed using the gum bichromate printing process on watercolour paper, which dates back to the early days of photography in the 19th century. Characterised by light and darkness and individual textures, the works and the associated text quotations refer to aspects of anti-Semitism and its effects in history from the end of the 19th Century to today.
On occasion of the the first cooperation between the Museum für Photographie Braunschweig and the Mönchehaus Museum Goslar as part of the 'round' anniversaries of the two museums in 2024, the publication presents an individual contribution to the possibilities of remembrance culture as an artist's book.