Architectural View of the Lama Temple Near Pekin, October 1860 1860

Felice Beato captured this architectural view of the Lama Temple near Peking in October 1860. Beato, of Italian-British descent, documented East Asia during a period of intense colonial expansion. His photographs are not neutral records; they reflect the power dynamics between the West and the East. In 1860, British and French forces invaded China, leading to the destruction of the Summer Palace and the looting of cultural artifacts. Beato's photographs, including this one, were often used to document and justify these imperial actions, shaping Western perceptions of the East as exotic and subjugated. While we see the architectural beauty of the Lama Temple, we must consider the context in which it was photographed: a moment of cultural violence and colonial assertion, prompting us to reflect on the complex relationship between art, power, and representation.