Cedars of Lebanon c. 1870

Félix Bonfils captured ‘Cedars of Lebanon’ using photography, a medium then still in its relative infancy. Bonfils's work emerged during a period of intense Western fascination with the Middle East, often romanticizing the region as the "Orient." This image operates within a complex colonial gaze. The cedars themselves are ancient symbols of Lebanon, emblems of resilience and national identity. Bonfils, a Frenchman, turned his lens on these trees, and we must consider the power dynamics at play. How does the act of photographing these symbols by a European contribute to a broader narrative of appropriation? In this image, the cedars stand stoic and silent, bearing witness to histories of cultural exchange and colonial impact. While the photograph may appear as a neutral landscape, it is laden with layers of meaning about place, identity, and representation.