Straatgezicht in Damascus c. 1867 - 1877

This photograph of a street in Damascus was taken by Félix Bonfils in the late 19th century. It’s an albumen print, a process that was popular at the time for its sharp detail and tonal range. Bonfils was one of the first commercial photographers to set up a studio in the Middle East. He catered to a growing market of European tourists eager to acquire images of the ‘Orient’ in all its supposed exoticism. Photography studios like Bonfils’s played a key role in shaping Western perceptions of the region, often reinforcing stereotypical and romanticized views. What kind of narrative do images like this create? And what did viewers back in Europe make of this depiction of Damascus? To understand the impact of Bonfils's work, we need to look at travel accounts, colonial histories, and the visual culture of the time. This photograph is not just a record of a place but a cultural artifact that reflects the complex relationship between Europe and the Middle East.