Portretten van Riza Pasha en Mahmoud Djellaleddin Pasha before 1898

These are portraits of Riza Pasha and Mahmoud Djellaleddin Pasha by T. Vafiadis, published in an unknown medium. What we see here is a page from a book, an interesting example of the social function of photography in the late Ottoman Empire. The formal presentation of these portraits, likely taken in a studio, speaks to a desire for representation and recognition. The photograph’s capacity to capture likeness was not merely a technical feat, but a social tool. It provided a means for individuals, especially those in positions of power, to project a particular image of themselves to the world. The inclusion of these images in a book suggests they were intended for a wider, possibly international, audience. Further study of Ottoman-era photography and portraiture might give a better understanding of this image. By consulting period literature, photographic journals, and institutional records, one could unpack the complex interplay between art, identity, and power in a society undergoing modernization.