Interieur van de Al-Azhar-moskee, Caïro 1888 - 1895

This is Jean Pascal Sébah's photograph, “Interior of the Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo,” created at the turn of the 20th century. Sébah, of Lebanese and Greek descent, operated a studio in Cairo, catering to European tourists and residents eager to capture the exoticism of the East. The photograph presents a seemingly objective view of the mosque's interior, with its rows of columns receding into the distance. Yet, the image is framed by the power dynamics of colonialism. Sébah, positioned as an outsider, profits from depicting a space sacred to the local population. The photograph freezes a moment in time, but consider what the photograph doesn't show. What about the voices and the prayers that echo within these walls? Are they truly captured, or are they reduced to silent spectacle? Consider, too, the act of representation. The image flattens and commodifies a complex reality. It caters to a Western gaze hungry for Orientalist fantasies. What is gained, and what is lost, in this exchange? Think about the role of photography in shaping perceptions and perpetuating cultural stereotypes, even today.