Portret van een onbekende derwisj, Caïro 1888 - 1895

This photographic portrait of an unknown Dervish in Cairo was made by Jean Pascal Sébah. The image is a window into a specific time and place, captured through the then-modern technology of photography. The albumen print process, popular in the 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a surface that was highly sensitive to light. This technique would have allowed Sébah to capture a remarkable level of detail, evident in the intricate patterns of the Dervish's clothing, beads and staff. The sepia tones speak to the era and the specific chemistry involved, reminding us of photography's historical roots in material processes. There's a performative aspect too. The subject’s deliberate pose suggests a constructed image, presented for the consumption of tourists eager to collect and classify images of the exotic ‘Orient.’ Sébah was one of many photographers creating work that was part art, part ethnography, and part commodity. The photograph invites us to consider the social dynamics at play between the photographer, the Dervish, and the audience.