Erechtheion, Athens (62. Athènes. 1842. T. de Minerve Poliade.) 1842

Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey captured this daguerreotype of the Erechtheion in Athens in 1842, a time when photography was still a novel medium. This image exists within the context of 19th-century European fascination with classical antiquity, but also within the rise of orientalism. De Prangey, driven by an interest in architectural documentation, used the daguerreotype to capture details of monuments across the Eastern Mediterranean. What was the perspective of the local populations as their homeland was being documented through a colonial lens? This image represents the artist's gaze, framing a narrative about the past. It also invites us to reflect on how we perceive historical sites today, and how we consider whose stories are told, and whose are left out. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the complex layers of history and power inherent in the act of seeing and documenting.