Portret van een Shanvrouw uit Birma c. 1890

This albumen print, "Portrait of a Shan Woman from Burma," was created by Felice Beato. Beato's photographs documented the people, architecture, and events of Asia and the Middle East. Looking at the image, we might consider the dynamic between the photographer, a Western man, and his subject, a woman from the Shan community in Burma. We might reflect on the ways in which colonial power dynamics shaped the production and interpretation of images like these. During the colonial era, photography was often used as a tool to document and exoticize colonized populations. The woman is adorned in traditional dress and stands barefoot. This could reinforce stereotypical views of non-Western cultures as primitive or exotic. Her direct gaze challenges any easy reading of the photograph as simply an objectification. It invites the viewer to consider her perspective and agency within the context of colonial representation. The photograph serves as a reminder of the complexities inherent in cross-cultural representation and the importance of critically examining the power dynamics at play in the creation and consumption of images.