Gezicht op de ruïnes van de tempel van Jupiter in Baalbek, Libanon 1867 - 1885

Félix Bonfils made this photograph of the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek, Lebanon, sometime in the late 19th century. It offers more than just a visual record; it's a window into the complex cultural and political landscape of the time. Bonfils, a Frenchman working in the Levant, catered to a growing European fascination with the "Orient." His photographs, like this one, became part of a visual archive that shaped Western perceptions of the Middle East. But what were the power dynamics at play here? How did the act of photographing these ruins contribute to the ongoing colonial project? By examining Bonfils' other work, as well as travel accounts and colonial records, we can begin to understand the role this image played in constructing a particular narrative about the Middle East for a European audience. Ultimately, the meaning of this photograph is inseparable from the social and institutional context in which it was produced and consumed.