Ruïne van een toren in Tripoli 1859 - 1860

Louis de Clercq captured this photograph, 'Ruïne van een toren in Tripoli,' sometime in the mid-19th century, using early photographic techniques. De Clercq, as a Western European man, carries with him the legacy of colonialism. During the 19th century, photography was frequently employed to document and exoticize foreign lands and cultures. This image, of a ruined tower in Tripoli, speaks to the Orientalist gaze through which the West often viewed the Middle East. The tower, now a ruin, implies a narrative of decline, subtly reinforcing a sense of Western superiority. The aesthetic choice to focus on ruins can be seen as a way of framing Tripoli's history through a Western lens. The photograph’s sepia tones lend a sense of timelessness, blurring the lines between objective documentation and romanticized interpretation. Consider how this image, while seemingly a straightforward depiction, subtly perpetuates historical power dynamics.