Fotoreproductie van een gezicht op de tempel van Jupiter te Baalbek before 1875

This is a photographic reproduction of the Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek, made by Francis Frith. Considered one of the most important photographers of the 19th century, Frith’s work significantly shaped European perceptions of the Middle East. His images, while seemingly objective, were produced within the context of British colonialism, influencing and reinforcing Western attitudes toward the region. Frith, like many photographers of his time, sought to capture the grandeur of ancient sites, often framing them in ways that emphasized their monumentality. Yet, these images also reflect the power dynamics of the era, where European photographers traveled to distant lands, documenting and interpreting them for Western audiences. The details of daily life are erased as the focus becomes the distant past. How does the act of photographing a place change our understanding of it? Whose story is being told, and whose is being left out?