[Mosque of Nasser-eddin Shah, Teheran, Iran] 1840 - 1869

Luigi Pesce made this photograph of the Mosque of Nasser-eddin Shah in Teheran, Iran, using the collodion process. This photographic technique, popular in the mid-19th century, involved coating a glass plate with a light-sensitive emulsion. Consider the material reality of this image. The sepia tones, the slight blurring, and the way the light captures the texture of the brickwork – all are direct results of the collodion process. The photograph serves as a record of the mosque's architecture, especially the intricate tilework of the dome and facade. Creating these tiles was a labor-intensive endeavor, involving skilled artisans who followed age-old traditions. Their work, meticulously executed, stands in contrast to the relative ease with which Pesce could capture the entire structure using his camera. By focusing on the materials and labor involved in both the mosque's construction and its photographic documentation, we gain a richer understanding of cultural exchange, and artistic practice in the 19th century.