Mausolée à l'Extrémité Ouest de la Colonnade, Palmyre (Mausoleum at the Western End of the Colonnade, Palmyra)  1864

This photograph of the Mausoleum at the Western End of the Colonnade in Palmyra was taken by Louis Vignes sometime in the mid-19th century. Vignes, a French naval officer, was part of a long Western tradition of travelers to the Middle East. Think of him as part of the Western gaze, seeking to capture and preserve what was perceived as a vanishing past. This image is not just a depiction of ancient ruins; it's a document reflecting the power dynamics between the West and the Middle East during a period of intense colonial interest. Note the solitary figure seated amidst the rubble, dwarfed by the scale of the ruins. Are they a caretaker, a local inhabitant, or perhaps even Vignes himself? Their presence invites questions about who gets to tell the story of Palmyra and whose histories are prioritized in its representation. Photographs like these contributed to a romanticized view of the Middle East, often overshadowing the lived experiences of contemporary communities. As you reflect on the photograph, consider the complex interplay of preservation, representation, and the politics of looking.