[Tomb of Kogin Baba] 1840 - 1869

Luigi Pesce captured this image of the Tomb of Kogin Baba using the 19th-century photographic technique. Note the dome, a symbol that transcends cultures, representing the celestial vault. Its presence here, in the architecture of a tomb, speaks to a hope for transcendence beyond earthly existence. We find echoes of this in the Pantheon in Rome, where the dome’s oculus invites a direct connection to the heavens. Consider, too, the geometric patterns adorning the structure. These patterns, repeated across the Islamic world, are not mere decoration. They are a symbolic language, an attempt to represent the infinite, unseen order of the universe. Such geometry appears in myriad forms, from the Alhambra's intricate mosaics to the simplest of prayer rugs. The dome, the patterns, they’re all part of a visual echo, resurfacing time and again, as we humans grapple with what lies beyond.